An enquiry into the origin of the late epidemic fever in Philadelphia : in a letter to Dr. John Redman, president of the College of Physicians, from Doctor Benjamin Rush.

  • Rush, Benjamin, 1746-1813.
Date:
December 11, 1793
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An enquiry into the origin of the late epidemic fever in Philadelphia : in a letter to Dr. John Redman, president of the College of Physicians, from Doctor Benjamin Rush. 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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    while the caufe of a malignant fever is obvious to the fenfes, it will be eafy to guatd againft it ; but while it is believed that the difeafe may be imported, and no body know from what place, at what time, and in what manner ; we (hall not only be carclffs in the tnidlt of filth and danger, but our city will always hold its character for health by a timid and precarious tenure. I am the more difpofed to expedt forgivenefs fro^n my fellow citizens for this attempt to ferve them, by the lecollection of the fudden change in the health of our city which followed thc arching the offenfive dock between Front and Third flreets in the year 1782. By advifing that meafure (ia which I flood nearly alone) I incurred the cenfure of feveral valuable citizens. The bills of mortality however foon fhewed that the meafure was right, and I have fince feen with gieat pleafure, the extraordi- nary heahhinefs of our city, afcribed by indifferent people, to that, among other caufes. The climate of our country can no more fufTer than the commerce of our city, by this inveftigation, for it fixes the late fever, and a!! the other malignant fever? of the United States, upon putrid vegetable exhalation. Without the matrix of putrid vegetable matters, there can no more be a bilious, or yellow fever g aerated amongfl: us, than there can be vegetation without earth, water, or air. To afcribe our late difeafe therefore to the ex lufive influence of the atmofphere, is a reflection upon our climate, which is equally unphiloiophical and unjuft. Let it only be clearly proved, and boldly afierted, that a bilious yellow fever has been, and may be generated in our country, under the ciicumftances before mentioned, and the re-