CHOLERA IN A COFFIN. Labourers Made Sick by Opening an Old Grave.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 360, 17 April 1889, Page 3

CHOLERA IN A COFFIN. Labourers Made Sick by Opening an Old Grave.

Pur.Lie attention, baysbhe 'Alba California,' of Muich 9th, has ajjain been attracted in a stuitling manner to the numeious paves that weio neglected when the old cemetery on the site of the new (Jity Hall was icmoved over twenty years ago Among the many coffins unearthed and removed by workmen engaged in excavating for the McAHisterbtreet winj^s of the Gi'y Hall, was that containing the lenmins oi Thomab W. Ludlonv, a younp pioneer, who died November, 1850. Tln>» coffin was found last Tuesday in a milled urave, surmounted by a handbome liead&tone, upon which was this inscription : In memoir of THOMAS \V. LUDLOW, who departed this life No\ ember, 1859. RequiescaL in Pace.

Short, dear husband, was thy race, Long and painful was thy day, From thy wife so early torn In life's .joy and blooming hour.

Ib now transpires that when the coffin was opened j-cveral poisons who happened bo be .standing around were taken more or less violently sicU. The old tiles of the ' Alta ' showtd that Ludlow died on November 26, 1850, from uholem. At that time the disease was epidemic in this city, and o i that day nine new cases we ediscoxeled. When it was ! learned that Ludlow had died of cholera, i the peop'e who had been made sick around hi* coffin by the effluvia from it, became badly scared. This scare was considerably increased yesterday morning when the news reached the Health Office that William Curry, a labourer who assisted in opening the coffin, was ill, and physicians hud pronounced hissicknesscholera. Health Officer Barger visited Curry but found, no alarming symptoms in his case. Every poss me precaution will now bo taken by blie < Health Department to have the remains' quickly and safely disposed of. Dr. Barger states that it would have been much better if bhe remains had been buried in a loose box, as it then would have exposed the body and all infection would have been killed by the influence of acid in the soil.