Mr. Christopher
Hamilton, Land Agent, of Leeson Street, writing to the Marquis of
Lansdowne, says, he "ascertained by personal inspection that a great
proportion of the ordinary food of the people had become useless, and
that from the nature of the blight it is impossible to depend on any
adequate proportion being saved." Mr. Hamilton praises the submission of
the people under the trial.
On the 24th of November, Sir James Murray, M.D., published a remarkable
letter, headed "Surgery _versus_ Medicine," in which, I believe, he came
as near the immediate cause of the disease as any writer who has dealt
with the subject. He attributes it to electrical agency. "During the
last season," he writes, "the clouds were charged with excessive
electricity, and yet there was little or no thunder to draw off that
excess from the atmosphere. In the damp and variable autumn this
surcharge of electrical matter was attracted by the moist, succulent,
and pointed leaves of the potato." As medicine is found to be useless
for the disease, he recommends the use of the knife to cut away the
diseased parts, and to keep the sound portions on shelves.
The clergy of every denomination came forward with a zeal and charity
worthy of their sacred calling.
Pages:
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139