" The Swatara'' had sailed from Liverpool, with several hundred passengers, and was many days out on her passage before the disease commenced to appear. At this very time, the winds were so contrary, that the vessel could not make further way, and the captain was obliged to return without delay. He put into this port in a very shattered condition, with several sick, and the passengers generally in a sad plight, in consequence of the scarcity of provisions. The sick passengers were landed, and after having recruited, the captain again put to sea, but had not proceeded far when she was obliged to run into Derry, in consequence this time, however, of the spread of the fever amongst the passengers. After some delay, she was once more under way, but was obliged to retrace her course for the third time. On this occasion she returned to Belfast, with a large proportion of her passengers attacked. They were removed to the General Hospital at once. The fever in the town now began to increase, and in a very short period, the Hospital was so full that the Board of Guardians were urged to give more extended relief. The numbers increased, however, so rapidly that even this could have been of little avail. Much greater accommodation was wanting to contend with an epidemic which was beginning to exhibit unprecedented strength.

Accordingly, the inhabitants were called together, on April 27th, to petition for a Board of Health, which was immediately granted. The Board was in operation on the 6th of May, and proceeded, with the greatest energy, to provide sufficient accommodation, and to carry out, upon the most extensive scale, those sanitary operations which produced such good results on former occasions. The Union infirmary was enlarged by nearly 90 beds, and a shed was erected on the grounds of the General Hospital. The old Cholera buildings, and, in short, every available spot, were filled with patients. Still it was not enough. The plague was striking down its victims, at the rate of 50 per day, and, with the addition of the College Hospital, which was now opened, the total number of cases on the 29th of May was 1,149--a number very nearly twice the annual average of previous ordinary years.

It was not, however, till the middle of July, that the epidemic reached its height--the weekly admissions having risen to 660, and the number in Hospital, at one time, above 2000.

Fortunately, the weather was most favourable, which permitted the erection of canvass tents, on the workhouse grounds, capable of holding 700 patients. These were appropriated to convalescents, and very much relieved the Hospitals. Indeed, had it not been for this provision, it is questionable whether the epidemic could have been mastered, without the occurrence of those appalling scenes which disgraced, for a time, the Dublin relief authorities. Even, as it was, with all this immense accommodation, many patients had to remain for hours awaiting admission, at the gates of the Hospital.

From the date last mentioned, a gradual subsidence of the epidemic ensued. Each successive month showed diminishing numbers; and, on the l3th of November, the General Hospital ceased to receive patients. The Barrack-Street Hospital was closed in December, the Workhouse accommodation having been then sufficient. Taking the aggregate of the three Hospitals, the total number of admissions from the beginning of the epidemic till the end of December, 1847, was 13,676! to which, if we add a fair proportion for private cases, we shall have some idea of the enormous extent of this memorable pestilence. It may be safely affirmed, that one out of every five persons in Belfast was attacked during this year.

It will be readily concluded, that such a vast amount of disease must have had a corresponding influential cause. We have already alluded to the probable atmospheric condition, which, no doubt, existed; but we must not forget the prevalent state of destitution which this and the previous year witnessed, throughout the length and breadth of the land. We well remember the aspect of the hordes of poor who thronged into the town, from all parts. Famine was depicted in the look, in the hue, in the voice, and the gait. The food of a nation had been cut off; the physical strength of a whole people was reduced; and this condition, highly favourable to the impression of the plague-breath, resulted in the most terrible epidemic that this Island ever experienced.

Source : A.G. Malcolm History of the General Hospital, Belfast, and the other Medical Institutions of the Town, 1851.

Extracted from Problems of a Growing City: Belfast 1780-1870. PRONI,  Belfast 1973 pp. 242-243.

Transcribed by Lyn Nunn, 12 July 2008.