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The night patrol of the London streets, 1853
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The night patrol of the London streets, 1853
The night patrol of the London streets. The figure of Death on horseback rides out of an overcrowded cemetery full of cholera victims. There were two medical theories related to the spread of disease at this time. One was that disease was transmitted by touch. The other was the miasmic theory, which taught that disease was spread by bad smells, bad air or poisonous miasma. The illustration is accompanied by a poem which lays the blame firmly at the feet of the latter theory: Tis the Demon of Pestilence pacing our streets; Striking down - poisoning all that he meets...For he had from yon churchyard his hideous birth! Horribly - loathsomely born of the vapours that rise from that spot; where, in midst of the living, the dead lie to rot, by earth scarce enshrouded, so thickly they re crowded. Date: 1853
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Media ID 23453676
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1850s 1853 Arrow Cemetery Cholera Churchyard Disease Diseases Health Horseback May21 Morality Patrol Poisonous Rides Spectre Spread Theory Victims Pestilence
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The Night Patrol of the London Streets, 1853 - A Chilling Ride Through the Heart of a Cholera-Stricken City
EDITORS COMMENTS
In this haunting image from 1853, the figure of Death rides out of an overcrowded cemetery, surrounded by the victims of the cholera epidemic that was ravaging London. The grim reaper, atop his horse, appears menacing and unstoppable as he sets out to claim more lives in the darkened streets. The year was 1853, and the city was in the grip of a public health crisis. Two medical theories were in vogue at the time, each attempting to explain the spread of disease. One theory held that disease was transmitted by touch, while the other, the miasmic theory, taught that disease was spread by bad smells, bad air, or poisonous miasma. The illustration is accompanied by a poem that lays the blame firmly at the feet of the latter theory. The lines read: "Tis the Demon of Pestilence pacing our streets / Striking down - poisoning all that he meets... / For he had from yon churchyard his hideous birth! / Horribly - loathsomely born of the vapours that rise from that spot; where, in midst of the living, the dead lie to rot, by earth scarce enshrouded, so thickly they re crowded." The image captures the fear and uncertainty of the times, as the city's inhabitants looked to the nightly patrols for protection against the relentless advance of the disease. The figure of Death, riding out of the cemetery, is a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the power of the natural world to bring about devastation. This evocative image is a poignant reminder of a time when the spread of disease was a matter of life and death, and when the night patrols were a vital part of the city's response to public health crises. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of medical knowledge, public health, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Date: 1853. Source: Mary Evans Picture Library, London. (Not for commercial use.)
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