Attention was specially called to this lady's case, as hitherto the disease had not been seen in that district. On inquiry it was found that she had been habitually supplied with drinking-water from the Broad Street well referred to, as she had formerly resided in Broad Street, and had retained a liking for the water from this particular well. She drank some of the water which had been procured on the 31st of August, both on that day and again on the 1st of September. On the latter day she was seized with cholera. A niece, on a visit to this lady, also drank some of the same water; she, too, was attacked by cholera, and died. A servant also drank the water; although she suffered to some extent, she recovered. So far as could be ascertained by careful inquiry, these people had had no connection whatever with the cholera district except through the water fetched from this particular Broad Street well. Cholera, as mentioned, was not epidemic at Hampstead at the time. The inference that 'the germ had been conveyed in the polluted water is difficult to avoid.
Another remarkable illustration of the diffusion of the cholera germ by water is supplied by a recent epidemic in Hamburg. At the time the sanitary conditions under which the inhabitants of the contiguous cities of Hamburg, Altona, and Wandsbeck lived were practically identical, save in the matter of water supply. Hamburg and Altona both drew their water from the Elbe; but, whereas the water distributed to the people of Altona was most carefully filtered, that supplied to the people of Hamburg was simply pumped up from the river and passed directly into the mains without filtration or purification of any description. The Wandsbeck water came from a lake, and was filtered. In Hamburg, during the epidemic, there were 8,605 deaths from cholera, equal to 13.4 per thousand; whereas in Altona only 328 deaths occurred, equal to 2.1 per thousand. The death-rate in Wandsbeck was similar to that of Altona. Hamburg and Altona are contiguous, and practically one city. At one part a street forms the boundary between the municipalities. On one side of this
