Account of an epidemic fever, which occurred at Gibraltar, in the years 1804, 1810, and 1813 : taken from official documents, military and medical, and from the communications of Joseph D.A. Gilpin, M.D., deputy inspector of hospitals.

  • Medical and Chirurgical Society of London.
Date:
1814
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Account of an epidemic fever, which occurred at Gibraltar, in the years 1804, 1810, and 1813 : taken from official documents, military and medical, and from the communications of Joseph D.A. Gilpin, M.D., deputy inspector of hospitals. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    something arising in the burial-ground, whether perceived by the senses or not, had any share in producing disease as far as it might be conjectured, from this prevaihng especially in its neighbour- hood, or in places exposed to its influence ? Answer—There is no swamp on the neutral ground. The rains during the winter season na- turally lodge on the less elevated parts of it, but the water is evaporated early in the spring, and not the least moisture remains on the surface of the sand as before stated. I never was sensible of any smell from the burial-ground; nor have I ever heard any one complain of it; and I see no reason why the burial-ground should contribute now, more than it formerly did, to the creation of disease; it is a pure dry sand; it was established during the epidemic in 1804, and is at least half a mile from the town*. The ditch towards the neutral ground is a dry one, and perfectly well ventilated, and formed, not by digging, but by the erection of a glacis in front of it; it is full fifty feet wide, and the glacis which forms it, or rather the covert way, is not above fifteen feet above the level of it. XI. Are the rubbish, filth, &c. daily taken out of the streets of Gibraltar ? and in what state are * The burial-ground, just without the south port, it has been said, lias at times emitted a disagreeable odour j but I cannot say that during the numberless times I have passed it, I was ever sensible of it.