DOI Heft:
July to December, 1849
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16604#0202
190
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
DISAGREEMENT OF THE DOCTORS.
The field of inquiry into the cause of Cholera has been all along a
sort of dry skittle-ground, every new theory being a sort of nine-pin,
•which has only been set up, that it might be straightway knocked
down again. The latest instance has been the very recent downfall of
Dr. Brittain's theory, which, after appearing to stand for some time,
has just been bowled over by some clever hands at the College of Phy-
sicians. The report that has appeared within the last few days com-
Eletely overturns the hypothesis by which the Cholera was believed to
ave been at last accounted for.
The following is the order in which the overturning of Dr. Brittain's
scientific skittles has been effected :—
1st. The alleged irregular cells, which were supposed to be peculiar
to the disease, have been found to have no necessary connection with
it and the irregular cells have been disposed of as regular sells to the
doctor who thought he had found important facts enclosed in them.
2nd. The kind of vegetable tissue upon which so much stress was
laid, as having been full of great facts, has been found to contain no
facts of any consequence at all, and the vegetable tissue has been cast
aside as a tissue of falsehood.
3rd. The search for these cells and tissue in air and water led to a
negative result, and the two negatives were not productive of any
affirmative, for they amounted to nothing, and any attempt to derive
evidence from the negatives was a positive failure.
4th. On applying powerful glasses to the air supposed to be infected,
there was perceptible a sort of disc over the top, but on looking closely
at the glass, and inspecting it most minutely, the examiners elicited
from the disc-over it no disc-overy.
5th. After collecting together all the results of their inquiries, the
examiners caused the whole to be held for some time in solution, and
there being no result, they attempt to offer no solution of the mystery.
A REGENT STREET MELODRAMA.
TREATMENT OF A LADY WITHOUT HE 11 HUSBAND.
The papers have lately contained reports of a scene of startling in-
terest, that appears to be occasionally enacted in a shop in Regent Street.
The locality is not one peculiarly suited for romance or mystery; but
a fearful drama appears to be sometimes performed in some of the shops
that skirt that gay and crowded thoroughfare.
A lady recently applied for advice to a magistrate, to know how she
should act in consequence of her having gone into a shop in Regent Street,
attracted by some tickets in the window, and, having found nothing to
suir, her within, having been literally imprisoned in the shop and prevented
from passing out, except on the condition of her becoming a purchaser.
Matters are indeed becoming serious when the ticketing shopkeepers
of the Metropolis establish a sort of reign of terror over the female
mind, and have in view their timid lady customers instead of their
goods, when they write up in ominous red letters, the words—
"Alarming Sacrifice."
We are not constitutionally nervous ; but we shall really never pass
the Regent Street fur-shops, without a shudder at the idea that some
unprotected female who has been lured within by deceitful promises
of " Bargains," " Opportunities," or goods " Given away," may perhaps
be undergoing the horrors of " unmerited persecution," as the victim
of some O'Smithian sort of shopman, who bars her egress until she
can be content to purchase a pair of half-crown cuffs for half-a-guinea.
To those who are fond of a piece of chivalry, we recommend an occa-
sional sally into a Regent Street fur-shop, on the chance of finding
some fair maiden to be rescued from the grasp of ihe dragon of
humbug and puffery. St. George might have a very busy time of it
in these days if he would make it his business to go about the
West End, dragging injured innocence out of the clutches of com-
mercial roguery. We little thought that the imperative announcements
of a necessity and a determination to " have cash," were backed up
by the recklessness of the desperado, and the brutality of the ruffian.
We shall never look again upon a shop exhibiting these external signs
of daring and adventurous trading, without fancying we hear within,
the shrieks for aid of some fair captive being forced against her will
to become a customer.
TREATMENT OF A LADY WITH HER HUSBAND.
Can nothing be done to save him?
We see a book advertised under the frightful title of the " Lawyer's
Companion por 1849." We did not know that, even in these des-
perate times, any human being could be found so reckless as to be the
companion of a lawyer for an entire year. Who can he be ? Some
poor unfortunate victim that probably is expiating some fearful crime
by carrying a lawyer's blue bag for the term—or four terms rather—of
a long, heavy, dragging, twelvemonth. Or is it a callous sheriffs officer?
For he is too frequently the Lawyer's Companion; statistics having
cruelly proved that wherever a lawyer has gone first, the sheriff's
officer has always walked in afterwards. Whoever the "Lawyer's
Companion for 1849" may be, we wish him good luck, for we are
sure that long before the period of his punishment has expired, the
poor fellow will need it.
" we haven't dined since yesterday."
The Protectionists complain of their poverty, and yet they are
feasting all over the land. They eat, drink, and are not merry. Their
meetings are graced with "every delicacy of the season" (including
Disraeli), and, notwithstanding, their talk is Starvation. We cannot
understand it; for one thing is perfectly clear, that in the midst of all
their starvation, they are never in want of a Dinner, or at a loss for a
Guinea to get it!
only a shade or two different.
It is said that Louis-Napoleon, as a coup d' etat may throw himseif
into the hands of the folks of the Red Republic. If this be so, it is
the progress of colour not of government; a move from the Red to
the Purple.
Sir Charles Napier was asked if he had seen anything of the
German Fleet, when he was in Prussia ? " Oh! yes," replied the naval
schoolmaster abroad, " I saw six funny-boats at Berlin, that were out
on the Spree."
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
DISAGREEMENT OF THE DOCTORS.
The field of inquiry into the cause of Cholera has been all along a
sort of dry skittle-ground, every new theory being a sort of nine-pin,
•which has only been set up, that it might be straightway knocked
down again. The latest instance has been the very recent downfall of
Dr. Brittain's theory, which, after appearing to stand for some time,
has just been bowled over by some clever hands at the College of Phy-
sicians. The report that has appeared within the last few days com-
Eletely overturns the hypothesis by which the Cholera was believed to
ave been at last accounted for.
The following is the order in which the overturning of Dr. Brittain's
scientific skittles has been effected :—
1st. The alleged irregular cells, which were supposed to be peculiar
to the disease, have been found to have no necessary connection with
it and the irregular cells have been disposed of as regular sells to the
doctor who thought he had found important facts enclosed in them.
2nd. The kind of vegetable tissue upon which so much stress was
laid, as having been full of great facts, has been found to contain no
facts of any consequence at all, and the vegetable tissue has been cast
aside as a tissue of falsehood.
3rd. The search for these cells and tissue in air and water led to a
negative result, and the two negatives were not productive of any
affirmative, for they amounted to nothing, and any attempt to derive
evidence from the negatives was a positive failure.
4th. On applying powerful glasses to the air supposed to be infected,
there was perceptible a sort of disc over the top, but on looking closely
at the glass, and inspecting it most minutely, the examiners elicited
from the disc-over it no disc-overy.
5th. After collecting together all the results of their inquiries, the
examiners caused the whole to be held for some time in solution, and
there being no result, they attempt to offer no solution of the mystery.
A REGENT STREET MELODRAMA.
TREATMENT OF A LADY WITHOUT HE 11 HUSBAND.
The papers have lately contained reports of a scene of startling in-
terest, that appears to be occasionally enacted in a shop in Regent Street.
The locality is not one peculiarly suited for romance or mystery; but
a fearful drama appears to be sometimes performed in some of the shops
that skirt that gay and crowded thoroughfare.
A lady recently applied for advice to a magistrate, to know how she
should act in consequence of her having gone into a shop in Regent Street,
attracted by some tickets in the window, and, having found nothing to
suir, her within, having been literally imprisoned in the shop and prevented
from passing out, except on the condition of her becoming a purchaser.
Matters are indeed becoming serious when the ticketing shopkeepers
of the Metropolis establish a sort of reign of terror over the female
mind, and have in view their timid lady customers instead of their
goods, when they write up in ominous red letters, the words—
"Alarming Sacrifice."
We are not constitutionally nervous ; but we shall really never pass
the Regent Street fur-shops, without a shudder at the idea that some
unprotected female who has been lured within by deceitful promises
of " Bargains," " Opportunities," or goods " Given away," may perhaps
be undergoing the horrors of " unmerited persecution," as the victim
of some O'Smithian sort of shopman, who bars her egress until she
can be content to purchase a pair of half-crown cuffs for half-a-guinea.
To those who are fond of a piece of chivalry, we recommend an occa-
sional sally into a Regent Street fur-shop, on the chance of finding
some fair maiden to be rescued from the grasp of ihe dragon of
humbug and puffery. St. George might have a very busy time of it
in these days if he would make it his business to go about the
West End, dragging injured innocence out of the clutches of com-
mercial roguery. We little thought that the imperative announcements
of a necessity and a determination to " have cash," were backed up
by the recklessness of the desperado, and the brutality of the ruffian.
We shall never look again upon a shop exhibiting these external signs
of daring and adventurous trading, without fancying we hear within,
the shrieks for aid of some fair captive being forced against her will
to become a customer.
TREATMENT OF A LADY WITH HER HUSBAND.
Can nothing be done to save him?
We see a book advertised under the frightful title of the " Lawyer's
Companion por 1849." We did not know that, even in these des-
perate times, any human being could be found so reckless as to be the
companion of a lawyer for an entire year. Who can he be ? Some
poor unfortunate victim that probably is expiating some fearful crime
by carrying a lawyer's blue bag for the term—or four terms rather—of
a long, heavy, dragging, twelvemonth. Or is it a callous sheriffs officer?
For he is too frequently the Lawyer's Companion; statistics having
cruelly proved that wherever a lawyer has gone first, the sheriff's
officer has always walked in afterwards. Whoever the "Lawyer's
Companion for 1849" may be, we wish him good luck, for we are
sure that long before the period of his punishment has expired, the
poor fellow will need it.
" we haven't dined since yesterday."
The Protectionists complain of their poverty, and yet they are
feasting all over the land. They eat, drink, and are not merry. Their
meetings are graced with "every delicacy of the season" (including
Disraeli), and, notwithstanding, their talk is Starvation. We cannot
understand it; for one thing is perfectly clear, that in the midst of all
their starvation, they are never in want of a Dinner, or at a loss for a
Guinea to get it!
only a shade or two different.
It is said that Louis-Napoleon, as a coup d' etat may throw himseif
into the hands of the folks of the Red Republic. If this be so, it is
the progress of colour not of government; a move from the Red to
the Purple.
Sir Charles Napier was asked if he had seen anything of the
German Fleet, when he was in Prussia ? " Oh! yes," replied the naval
schoolmaster abroad, " I saw six funny-boats at Berlin, that were out
on the Spree."