Observations upon Bulam, vomito-negro, or yellow fever, with a review of "A report upon the diseases of the African Coast by Sir William Burnett and Dr. Bryson', proving its highly contagious powers / By Sir William Pym.

  • Pym, William, Sir, 1772-1861.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations upon Bulam, vomito-negro, or yellow fever, with a review of "A report upon the diseases of the African Coast by Sir William Burnett and Dr. Bryson', proving its highly contagious powers / By Sir William Pym. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Civita Vecchia, with a view of embarking for Gibraltar, or any port in Spain. On my way down the Mediterranean, I toucbed at Carthagena, where I found the fever raging to a most dreadful degree, and was informed that it was committing the same ravages at Gibraltar. Being most anxions to return to my post, I found myself very unpleasantly situated, tbere being a cordon of troops round the town to prevent communication by land, and the port was shut to prevent the sailing of any vessel, under the impression that they might introduce the disease into other parts of Spain. I communicated my situation to the Governor, who, as a great favour, gave me leave to hire a vessel to Gibraltar. He requested me, before my departure, to give my opinion of the prevailing fever to the medical gentlemen of the place, wrho were aware of the disease having been of foreign origin, as they stated that it had been introduced by smugglers, and that they had never hnown any disease of the same nature to hâve existed there before. During the short time I remained there, the deaths were from one hundred to one hundred and ten per day, nearly as great a mortality as usually occurred in the course of twelve months. The moment my vessel was ready, I got under weigh for Gibraltar, where I arrived on the 18th of October. The scene of horror upon my landing, is beyond ail description ; at eleven o’clock in the forenoon, in the town, which used to be ail bustle and confusion, there was not a soûl stirring, the doors and Windows were ail shut ; it looked like a moonlight night, and the only moving object that attracted my attention was a cart heaped up with dead bodies. 161 deaths having occurred on this day, great part of the civilians had already been swept off, and the disease had gained considérable progress among the different régiments. The following account of the first introduction and subsé¬ quent progress of the disease into Gibraltar, is to be depended