Memorandum on cholera, adopted at a Medical conference held in the Bureau of agriculture, in March, 1866.

Since.the recent outbreak of Asiatic Cholera in the Levantine regions, and its spread into countries more directly connected with the localities of its origin, all the vexed and complicated questions arising out of the consideration of this terrible scourge have been re-agitated throughout the world.It is not the intention, in this memorandum, to examine any of the many hypothetical opinions and systems arising from such a fertile subject of discussion ; but to collect in a somewhat condensed compuss, for the guidance of individuals, associations, corporations a, id civil authorities, such practical information as is undi-puted amongst unbiased and well-informed minds, about the character of the disease and its ordinary way of propagation, at>out the duties ot every one towards himself and his fellow-creatures in time of pestilence, about the be?>t means ol preventing or delaying its appeaiance and mitigating its effects.These were the objects of the calling together of this Conference by the Government, and are consequently the subjects dwelt upon in this document.In answer to the questions naturally arising in everyone' s mind, as to whether it is probable that this continent will be visited by cholera this year, and whether the disease is likely to O0 ~* be more or less disastrous than formerly, many very contradictory though very decided opinions have already been given through the public press and medical periodicals However, as there is some danger in the promulgation of opinions which cannot be founded on any tangible or well-defined reasons, it seems belter to candidly acknowledge th t such eventualities are not within the reach of human science to unravel, but that they must be accepted as they are to happen with a submissive and courageous spirit ; and it is wise to be prepared lor the worst.Another question, upon which volumes of contradictory argu- ments have been written, scores of laws enacted, amended, repealed and re-enacted, whether strict quarantine can secure immunity to a country against the importation or spread of pestilential diseases, appears to have been answered by experience in this sense : th.tt, although the strictest quarantines (as a general fact) have certainly failed in securing, in toto, the advantages promised by the extreme partisans of such measures, these measures, nevertheless, have always proved themselves to be highly beneficial in delaying the time of the invasion of the malady, in mitigating its eff-cts and preventing that extension which is known to take place where no such precautions are observed.No one denies that every reasonable separation of infected persons or things from the hea thy and clean, generally speaking, is beneficial ; and every one admits that hygienic measures are extremely advantageous at all times.It is, therefore, with such views and with the determination of carefully avoiding the counsels of carelessness, on the one side, and pusillanimity, on the other, that the investigations connected with the adoption of this memorandum have been prosecuted.It is earnestly hoped that the following short chapters and paragraphs (though containing nothing assumed to be new for persons acquainted with moral, medical and social sciences) will not be without good results, intended specially as they are : 1st.To confirm the public mind against useless and dangerous fears, by showing that the first duty, as well as the better under- stood interest of every one, is to meet manfully, with a truly devout spirit, the threatening scourge ; 2nd.To diffuse amongst the people a sufficient knowledge of what ought to be done to alleviate the calamity and to guard against errors which are so apt to pervade a community in times of such visitations.Should everything be followed out that is recommended in this Memorandum and be executed, and shou.d the threatened pestilence not invade Canada, it could never become the subject of the slightest regret, as being so much time and expense uselessly thrown away ; because all the measures are calculated, in every respect, to improve generally the moral, the domestic, and the social habits of our population.CHAPTER 1. PESTILENTIAL DISEASES.To make use of the happy expression of M. Tardieu, " [t is " well to bear in mind that pestilential diseases are not of that " class of which it has been given to man to penetrate the origin " and to understand the principle."From time immemorial the world has been periodically subjected to the ravages of epidemic or pestilential diseases, varying in their intensity and peregrinations, mysterious in their origin, arid from whose occasional recurrences mankind, in all probability, will never be free.§ 1.

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