f--Statistics of
Population--The Census of 1841--Deaths from the Famine--Deaths
amongst Emigrants--Deaths amongst those who went to
Canada--Emigration to the United States--Commission to protect
Emigrants--Revelations--Mortality on board Emigrant Ships--Plunder
of Emigrants--Committee of Inquiry--Its Report--Frauds about Passage
Tickets--Evidence--How did any survive?--Remittances from
Emigrants--Unprecedented--A proof of their industry and
perseverance.

In anticipation of fever and other epidemics resulting from the Famine,
a Fever Act was passed for Ireland in the early part of the Session of
1846, by which the Lord Lieutenant was empowered to appoint
Commissioners of Health, not exceeding five in number, who were to act
without salaries. They constituted what was called the Central Board of
Health. He was further empowered to appoint medical officers for the
Poor Law Unions, with salaries to be paid by the Treasury; such medical
officers to be under the control of the guardians. The Board of Health
was authorized to direct guardians to provide fever hospitals and
dispensaries, together with medicines and all other necessaries for
those hospitals. This Act was to cease in September, 1847, but in the
April of that year an Act to amend and extend it to November, 1847, was
passed. Eventually, it remained in its amended form in force until the
end of the Parliamentary Session of 1850.

The changes made by this second or amended Fever Act were of a very
extensive kind. By the previous one medical relief was to be given
through the guardians of the poor; by the Act as amended, the Board of
Health was empowered to certify to the Relief Commissioners, the
necessity of medical relief being afforded, in _any electoral division_
in which there was a Relief Committee. It was also to direct such
Committees to provide fever hospitals, and every other thing necessary
for the treatment of patients. And further: the Relief Commissioners, on
the certificate of the Board of Health, were to issue their order to
Relief Committees, to provide medical attendance, medicines, and
_nutriment_, if necessary, for such patients as were not received into
hospital, either because there was not accommodation for them, or
because it might endanger their lives to remove them. The Board of
Health acted as little as possible upon this clause; holding that, under
existing circumstances, it was impossible to treat pati