An account of the yellow fever, which occurred in the city of New-York, in the year 1822 : To which is prefixed a brief sketch of the different pestilential diseases, with which this city was afflicted, in the years 1798, 1799, 1803 & 1805, with the opinion of several of our most eminent physicians, respecting the origin of the disease, its prevention and cure. To which is added a correct list of all the deaths by yellow fever during the late season, taken from official documents / by James Hardie.

  • Hardie, James, 1758-1826.
Date:
1822
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An account of the yellow fever, which occurred in the city of New-York, in the year 1822 : To which is prefixed a brief sketch of the different pestilential diseases, with which this city was afflicted, in the years 1798, 1799, 1803 & 1805, with the opinion of several of our most eminent physicians, respecting the origin of the disease, its prevention and cure. To which is added a correct list of all the deaths by yellow fever during the late season, taken from official documents / by James Hardie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    sick, experienced the least indisposition. The physi- cians were the late Richard Bayley, Health Officer, Jo-. seph Bayley, the present Health Officer, and two others. They were incessant in the discharge of their duty, and, at least, two out of three of their patients recovered. Before I conclude this article, it may not be improper to state the different opinions, which prevailed amongst medical gentleman respecting the origin of this dreadful disease. From what I have already mentioned respect-. ing the letter from the Health Commissioners to the Common Council of date 6th August, it is obvious, that not only they, but a number of other respectable physi- cians believed in its local origin, and assigned the cause to the made grounds on the Hast River, | Such was the opinion of those, who believed that the disease proceeded from local crioin. . There were many very respectable physicians, however, as well as other citizens, who thought that it had been imported. Ideem it correct to give the opinions on both sides of the subject, and shall, therefore, lay before my readers an extract from a letter, which I received from Mr. Richardson Underhill, a respectable merchant of this city, dated the, 30th December, 1798. This gentleman was not a phy- Sician; but in the opinion of Doctor Hosack, he contri- buted very much to the recovery of the sick. I well re- member, that he was incessant in his labours, and that they were, in general, crowned with uncommon success, “Ina mind void of prejudice,” says he, “it is more difficult to form an exact opinion of the origin of this dis- order, than most people, upon a transient view of the subject would suppose. For my own part, neither my education, nor my inclination, will permit me to form any theories, concerning the first engendering of pesti-+ Jence, from combinations of gases, or other causes. The dens in which it is bred, and in which it lurks, until it issues forth to seize its prey, are more proper objects for, persons in my sphere of life to explore. To this purpose, Ihave frequently revolved in my mind, whether it was an unported or homebred disorder, several circumstances concurring to produce an opinion of its being the latter, the very rapid progress of it, during a very het summery,