Observations on the causes and cure of remitting or bilious fevers : to which is annexed, an abstract of the opinions and practice of different authors ; and an appendix, exhibiting facts and reflections relative to the synochus icteroides, or yellow fever / by William Currie, Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, &c.

  • Currie, William, 1754-1828.
Date:
1798
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the causes and cure of remitting or bilious fevers : to which is annexed, an abstract of the opinions and practice of different authors ; and an appendix, exhibiting facts and reflections relative to the synochus icteroides, or yellow fever / by William Currie, Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, &c. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    From comparing that fever called by Dr. Clark* a remittent, and which Sennertus fays began in Hungary and fpread by contagion over Germany, with the camp fever defcribed by Sir John Pringlc, the hofpital fever of Donnald Monro, the jail and fliip fever of Lind, Roiipe, Blane, Robertfon, &c. and with the fevef which prevailed in fomc of the American hofpitals, and Britidi prifon flnps in the years 1776, 1777, and 1778, , , kc. I am convinced that it was a typhus, or a con- ■ ■ tinued fever of a putrid tendency which originates from i i animal effluvia in a certain filuation, and was propa- ■ ■ gated by contagion, and was not a genuine remittent, , , or any fever that was derived from the exhalations of vegetable putrefaction. Dr. Ferriar, to whom in abihties and medical ac- ■ • quirements few are fuperior, entertains an opinion that all infeftious animal poifofis, that of the hydropho- • • bia excepted, are formed originally from fome morbid procefs in the living human body. It is true the putrefaction of dead bodies generates a poifoi^ which is highly noxious when receive.! into the human body by a wound, or any raw furface ; but this poifon does not feem to infeft like that of fevers by exhalation. Its hrfl: efiecl unlike the other, is to oc- cafion the death of the part where it is admitted.! Noxious effluvia indeed frequently arife from pu- trefpng animalJubjhinccs in a certain Jlate. Dr. Monro mentions a remarkable indance of this in his Trcatife on the Dropfy^ and forae later examples are recorded by Mr. St. John. But it does not appear from thefe cafes, that the noxious effluvia produced any fympioms re- fembling thofe putrid or pejiilential fevers ; on the con- trary t'hey acled by a direB Jlimuhis^ occafioning inflam- matory complaints, from which we may conclude that thev are effentially different from febrile contagion,]^' It * Dr. Clurk ami Dr. Millar of London, have hoth confoiindecl the remittent, from the exhalations of vegetable putrefaction with the continued fever and jails and hofpitals. + See Dr. Alexanders Experiments alio. :j; Fcrriar's Medical Cafes and Reflections, page zzo, S<c,