Cholera

Cholera, a waterborne disease, arrived in Scotland during the 19th century, brought by the waves of global pandemics that originated in India. The first significant outbreak occurred in 1832, with subsequent major epidemics in 1848-49, 1854, and 1866. These outbreaks, particularly pronounced in urban areas with poor sanitation, led to thousands of deaths and spurred public health reforms. The improvement in water supply and sewage systems, along with a better understanding of the disease's transmission, eventually reduced cholera's impact, and by the late 19th century, the disease had largely receded from Scotland.

The major cholera epidemics in Scotland were most pronounced in the mid-19th century, with the last significant outbreak occurring in 1866. Following this, advancements in sanitation, water supply, and public health measures, coupled with a growing understanding of the disease's transmission, led to a decline in cholera cases. By the end of the 19th century, large-scale cholera outbreaks had ceased in Scotland. Therefore, the end year for significant cholera presence in Scotland can be placed around the late 1860s to 1870s, with the disease becoming rare thereafter.