Sir,—As detailed by Nigel Johnston (HI 34.2, March/April 2026, pp 32–4), cholera arrived in Ireland in March 1832 and spread from Belfast to Dublin, Cork and throughout the country in that year. The Limerick Asylum visiting physician Dr O’Callaghan advised the board of governors in June 1832 that ‘a distinct place or hospital for possible occurrence of cholera be provided’.
The asylum manager, Mr Jackson, was directed to arrange for one of the four straw houses to be fitted up in the event of cholera arriving. There were four straw houses located at the ends of the asylum wings and so they were the best places to isolate cholera victims. In addition, the board decided that a separate infirmary be provided ‘on the cheapest terms that Mr Jackson can effect’, and twelve iron beds were to be ordered. Mr Jackson observed that the straw houses were no longer required and could be used as ‘a weaving place’.
At the height of the epidemic in Limerick, it was reported that ten funerals per day were leaving St John’s Hospital, which was located less than a mile from the asylum. In order to understand the reasons for this remarkable situation one must go back to 1827, when engineers expressed concern about the inadequacy of the water-supply to the asylum during a dry period. It was noted that there was a stream running under the asylum but as its source was outside the walls it was feared that it could be ‘interfered with’. A decision was then taken to dig wells within the asylum grounds. Thus the asylum became independent of the city’s contaminated water system, which decimated the population of Limerick City. The engineers unwittingly prevented the spread of cholera to the asylum, thereby saving many lives.—Yours etc.,
DR PETER KIRWAN
Clinical Director (Emeritus)
St Joseph’s Hospital
Limerick