On the local origin of the yellow fever epidemic of British Guiana / in a letter from Daniel Blair to John Davy, with appended documents.

  • Blair, Daniel.
Date:
[1851?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the local origin of the yellow fever epidemic of British Guiana / in a letter from Daniel Blair to John Davy, with appended documents. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    19/38
    May 1. Rev. Howe. ] One domiciliura. A. R. HoUinga- „ 2. Rev. John Wray. _[_ worth, M.D. Both fatal. May 3. A young man recently j Beresford. Recovered, from Europe, via Demerara. J E. P. Cameron, M.D. Recovered. Saline treatment; Dr. Stevens' plan. Dr. HoUingsworth. Fatal case. Black vomit. Bled ; saline treatment. June 16. Rev. Joseph Ket-' ley, a few days from Deme- rara. July 4. Mr. Parish, school-' master, London Missionary Society : never any inter- course with Mr. Wray's fa- - mily. After these five cases the disease began to appear among the sailors, and continued to rage among them until November, when it suddenly disappeared. I never saw any thing to lead me to suppose the disease in the slightest degree contagious. I myself have slept in the same apartment with a confirmed case of yellow fever, which terminated with black vomit; and more, a young gentleman, a few days from Europe, insisted on relieving me on my watch ; nor was he attacked by any symptoms of malignant or other fever, although in a state of body at the time, from the irritation of mosquito bites, which might have rendered him in an extreme degree susceptible of contagion. Another strong fact is, that, in the garrison at Fort Canje, Assistant- Surgeon Tux'ner thought it his duty to recommend all intercourse between the town and garrison to be cut off. You may find the date of the garrison order then issued by Captain Warburton, who com- manded here at the time. No malignant case had appeared among the soldiers previous to the order, but shortly after, in consequence (if I may presume to say so) of the hucksters being excluded with their daily supplies of vegetables and refreshing fruits, and the men, being confined to one sort of diet, they betook themselves to the canteen, drank impure spirits, and went into hospital in a few days with yellow fever. Poor Turner himself was seized with fever; but I could see no symptoms to lead me to call it yellow fever. Dr. Beresford, I am satisfied, will agree with me in calling it a pure case of inflammatory fever; and I have no doubt that this medical officer fell a victim to anxiety of mind and fatigue in the discharge of his professional duties. The disease cannot be said to have extended itself into the country districts of Berbice at all. The few genuine cases that did occur might certainly have been traced to town, if the circumstance of visiting New Amsterdam for a few hours, without having any intei'- course with the sick, can be supposed to account for their sickening of yellow fever. Since my return from Demerara in October last, N 2