We've been here before.... Sligo is devastated by an epidemic

‘The contagion came from the East… gradually the terror grew on us…..we heard of it nearer and nearer….it was in Germany, it was in England, and then, - with wild affright – it was in Ireland!’    C. Thornley, 'Experiences, (1873)

​These words could have been written today, but in fact they reflect public fears expressed in Ireland almost 190 years ago, as the Asiatic cholera pandemic swept through Europe to these shores in 1832.  Sligo claimed its place in medical history as the worst-affected town in Ireland or Britain when the epidemic hit in the sultry summer of 1832.  In a six- week period the official death toll in this small provincial town, was over 700 lives; the real total was probably close to 1,000 souls.  People died within hours of contracting the disease, and mass graves were opened to cope with the vast numbers of infectious corpses.  Doctors battled in vain to contain the cholera, and townspeople fled to the countryside until the disease abated.  All regular business was suspended in Sligo during the epidemic, a total of 24 days. The trauma of ‘The Cholera’, left an enduring mark on the folk memory of the town.   The parallels with the current social and medical upheaval associated with the Coronavirus are uncannily similar, from the fear, to the cessation of normal life.

​What is Cholera?

Cholera is a pathogen – a highly infectious bacteria, and endemic to certain parts of Asia.  It has many vectors of transmission, and in 1832, the process of transmission was overwhelmingly contaminated water and the oral-faecal route. Hygiene is critical for the prevention of infection by pathogens, something that was sorely lacking in the first quarter of 19th century Ireland, particularly in urban areas.  

If untreated, cholera can advance within hours to cause death. It starts suddenly and quickly causes dangerous fluid loss. Symptoms of cholera infection include diarrhoea, characterized by a milky appearance known as ‘rice-water stool’. In addition, persistent painful vomiting occurs. Dehydration develops within hours after the onset of symptoms, and can be mild or severe depending on the amount of fluid lost. This can cause lethargy, sunken eyes, shrivelled skin, low blood pressure and irregular heartbeat. Cholera dehydration also causes a characteristic blue tinge to the nails and skin. The Irish descriptive name for this type of Cholera, was ‘Galar, gaimhdeach, gorm goile’, or the 'stingingly-painful, blue, stomach disease. A terrifying description for a terrifying disease. 

The Blue Stage of a man with Cholera. (Wellcome Collection)

It is this dehydration that is most dangerous: it can lead to a rapid loss of minerals in the blood, which are known as electrolytes. Sudden loss of electrolytes leads to muscle cramps and shock and can lead to death in a matter of hours, even in people who were healthy beforehand. 
Cholera, has often been referred to as the ‘classic disease’ of the 19th century, characterised by its epidemic outbreaks, and is frequently cited as the cause of popular agitation, and social unrest, as well as being instrumental in the drive for municipal reform and the development of public health.
In modern times, cholera can be very effectively treated by re-hydration therapy, the prompt restoration of lost fluids and salts through rehydration, and by anti-biotics. The people of Sligo has no such solace in 1832. ​