Phenix Gazette

NORFOLK AND PORTSMOUTH.

We may in some wise have disappointed public expectation, in not having before noticed the unusual mortality which visited our neighboring town, Portsmouth, between Tuesday and yesterday, or of several cases of sudden death, within the last 4 days, among our population. The truth is, the opinions of the Medical faculty are so various, and the reports of the circumstances attending the mortality so contradictory, that we have been apprehensive of giving inaccurate reports and thereby creating unfounded alarm, at home, and uneasiness to friends at a distance; we were, too, in momentary expectation of receiving official reports from the Board of Health in each town, in which more confidence would be placed than in the loose rumors afloat.

In Portsmouth, the deaths from Tuesday to Sunday, inclusive, were 21, since which we learn 3 or 4 have been added to the number. In Norfolk, the deaths since Thursday have been 8 by this new and alarming epidemic, which is generally believed to be the Asiatic Cholera, or the same fatal disease which has prevailed in New York for several weeks past with such fearful destruction to human life. Its ravages in this quarter have been confined to the colored people, with a few exceptions in Portsmouth, viz. Mr. Thomas, an Overseer, who having just recovered from diarrhœa, indulged freely in iced liquors, while overheated; a man named Keith, notoriously of intemperate habits, and a marine soldier at the Navy Yard Barracks. In Norfolk the deaths have been, so far, entirely confined to the colored people. In most of the cases in Portsmouth, we understand the blacks are known to have eaten of West India or Domestic Fruit, Pine Apples, Water Melons, &c. and in Norfolk, some who have died have eaten heartily of Water Melons a short time before their attack.

[Norfolk Beacon of Tuesday.
Board of Health,

Norfolk, 30th of July, 1832.

The Board of Health, in compliance with the ascertained wish of the inhabitants, report, upon the authority of the physicians, the present state of the health of the town, and give an assurance, (if any, in addition to a sense of duty and their obligations to the public, can be required,) that, a true and exact expose of the state of the health of the town shall be made known, from time to time, as may be deemed necessary.

The reports of the physicians, who have as promptly as politely complied with the request of the Board in communicating them, give six cases of Cholera up to 12 o'clock this day; of which three have died; and three cases of doubtful character.

The deaths have been confined to people of color; there is but one case of a white person reported, and that is classed under the head of 'doubtful.'

The Board have the pleasure to announce that, with the exception of the above cases, the town enjoys an unusual degree of health.

By order of the Board:

Tho. G. Broughton, Sec'y.

*The first case occurred on Thursday night last.

Health of the Town.—The physicians had not reported any new case of Cholera up to 12 o'clock yesterday.

The Board of Health will meet this afternoon, and publish their report tomorrow morning, including this day.

[Norfolk Herald of Wednesday.
Health of Portsmouth.—The cases of Cholera reported in our last, were up to 12 o'clock on Sunday. There was one death in the afternoon of that day, a colored man about 50 years of age.

On Monday there were four deaths, all colored persons, one an old, and one a middle aged man, and two children under 8 years of age.

There were within the same 24 hours, 20 cases of the disease which recovered and are convalescent.—

Yesterday there were four deaths up to 5 o'clock in the afternoon, including two white persons, one of unexceptionable habits, but was without medical aid for 10 hours after the attack; the other somewhat irregular if not intemperate. One of the blacks, an elderly woman, was attacked at one o'clock, P. M. and was a corpse at half past four. There were about ten cases yesterday which yielded to medicine by timely application, and are considered convalescent, and two which were not expected to recover. In every case, we learn, in which medical aid was applied at the commencement, the patient recovered.

The authorities are bestirring themselves to cleanse the town and remove all nuisances; better late than never; but how much better had it been if the work had been commenced a little sooner.

There was an error in the name of one of the white men reported in our last; it was Crossly—and not Crosbie. The marine, we learn, was an old soaker; he ate a whole water melon and cut up the rind and eat it with vinegar.—ib.