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
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

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    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-