Volume 1

Observations on the nature and cure of hospital and jayl-fevers. In a letter to Doctor Mead / [Sir John Pringle].

  • Pringle, John, Sir, 1707-1782.
Date:
1750
    OBSERVATIONS » ON THE ' NATURE and CURE O F Hofpita! and jayl-Fevers. In a Letter to * * DOCTOR MEAD, Physician to his Majesty, &c, b Y JOHN PRINGLE, M. D. Phyfician to. His Royal Highnefs the Dukes Fellow of the Royal College of Phyficians at Edinburgh, and of the Royal Society, LONDON: Printed for A. Mil l a r, and D. Wiiso ?I, in the Strand. MDCCL. [Price One Shilling.]
    I * ' . 'I 1 , * r,
    Doctor M E *4 Dt SIR, W" HILST I was reviling the notes . I had made on the difeafes moll incident to an army, the jayl diltemper having broke out in fuch a manner as to alarm the town, I thought I could not comply more feafonably with your delire of having them publilhed, than by communicating at prefent, that part of my obfervations which related to this difeafe. * . % n' For, however fatal it has been lince the I i feflions, it is highly probable the calamity will be in a great meafure confined to thofe who were prefent at the tryal $ efpecially, if the B vvea-
    weather continues moderately cool. Yet as peo¬ ple may juftly be under fome apprehenfions as long as the diftemper lafts, I thought it my duty, to offer thefe few fheets to the pub- lick ; that whatever be the confequence, I might not hereafter have reafon to upbraid myfelf with having fuppreffed any ufeful difcovery my experience may have furniflied in thefe matters, from the confideration that they were to go abroad, in a loofe and un- finiflied manner. And I the more willing¬ ly embrace this occafion of writing, that as. at this time every body is inclined to liften to the fubjeft, thofe whofe fpecial bufinef* it is to take care of jayls and other publick places, which neglected, produce malignant and contagious diftempers, may have more materials whereby to judge of the great dan^ ger arifing from them. For tho’ the prefent fear of the contagion fpreading, may foon fubflde, yet I am certain, that however rare¬ ly our jayls produce fuch vifible noxious effects, they are often one of the more in- fidious fources of flow and malignant fevers, which generally prevail in large and crowded cities. Thus, in the late cafe of infection, from the quantity of the contagious matter, the clqfenefsof the air, and crowds of peo-
    pie to render its corruption more quick, a diftemper arofe fo fuddenly, and was fo vio- \ lent, general and fatal, that every body now refers it to its true caufe: whereas, if the number of malefactors had been fewer, the multitude lefs, and the air freer, fo few would have been feized, and that with fe¬ vers of a flow and lefs alarming kind, that the caufe might have been intirely over¬ looked. Thefe and other general points will be il- luftrated by fome obfervations in thefe pa¬ pers ; and I hope that thofe who have power to redtify abufes, will receive them favour¬ ably, from one, whofe publick employment has given him many opportunities of feeing fatal confequences of fuch a fort of contagion. As for what relates direCtly to the practice, fince that is chiefly intended for thofe of our profefiion, who have been lefs acquainted with the diftemper, I hope they will receive in good part, what I offer them as the refult of my experience in thefe matters: nor can I doubt of their acceptance, if agreeable to you* whofe judgment will always have the greatefl: weight with them, both on account of your B 2 dignity