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“3. When did the last epidemic of cholera occur? Four years ago. But I should say it was not epidemic in Paisley then. It was threatened in 1866.

“4. Had you any cases of cholera then? No. There was a danger felt about it, but I had no fear of it; and I expressed that opinion before the Sanitary Committee, that we should have no attack of cholera, and that the city of Glasgow would not have it.

“5. On what did you found that opinion? Upon the unlimited supply of pure water that we had, and on the supply of pure water that Glasgow had obtained from Loch Katrine.

“6. Was your prediction fulfilled in both cases? Yes.

“7. When had you cholera last in Paisley? Was it in 1854? In 1854.

“8. Had you an attack of cholera in 1849? Yes. A very sharp attack.

“9. What was the state of the water supply in 1849? In 1848 and 1849 the town was but partially supplied with water, and some of the large suburbs, such as Charleston, were not supplied with the town’s water. Charleston was supplied with water from wells. There was one well that belonged to Baille Smith, which supplied a large quadrangle of buildings; that well was at the bottom of an incline, surmounted by buildings on all sides except one. Those wells took a supply from the surface. They were surrounded by dung-pits, and the wells imbibed the impurities of the dung-pits. I took occasion to warn the people of the district not to use water from the wells, but to get the town’s water. I recommended the authorities to open pipes connected with the town’s water, and to supply Charleston with pure water; and very soon after that was done the cholera disappeared from that district. At the last threatened visitation of cholera, in 1866, the Sanitary Committee took the precaution to remove all the handles from the pumps, and they had the wells shut up.