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| Cholera in the 19th Century | |
| Cholera was a major killer throughout the world.
It is an acute disease, associated with severe diarrhoea, which can quickly lead to
dehydration and death. It is thought that cholera first appeared in India during the 4th century BC. Although it frequently presented as a significant problem for the British army in India, cholera was not a health issue in Europe or England before the 19th century. The first serious outbreak in Europe was in the early 1830’s when the disease spread from India, through Russia, to Europe, England and North America. |
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Subsequent epidemics occurred in Europe and England in 1840’s, 50’s and 60’s. In each instance, the outbreak had spread from India or Asia. The 1863-72 pandemic was the last to have a serious effect in Europe or England. However, there were two further epidemics in India and Asia before the end of the century. When cholera was first seen in Europe and England, neither the cause nor an effective treatment were known. The disease had a marked impact. In England alone, 53,000 deaths were recorded during the 1840’s outbreak and it is estimated that millions of people around the world were killed by this disease during the 19th century. Towards the end of the century, despite major outbreaks in other parts of the world, a rapid decline in the incidence of cholera in Europe and England was brought about, primarily through major developments in public health policies which limited the spread of the disease.
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