Report of the director of the Bureau of Medical Service / William Pepper.

Date:
[1876]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the director of the Bureau of Medical Service / William Pepper. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    ones which caused any considerable amount of mortality, and we shall therefore devote particular care to their consideration. In speaking of the sickness among the visitors to the Exhibition, we have already alluded to the numerous causes which predisposed them to diarrhoeal and febrile affections. We beg here to refer to what was said at that point (see pages 12, 13), because we are convinced, from careful observation and reflection, that there existed no special condi- tions in the city, either at the Exhibition grounds or elsewhere, whether in the form of imperfect drainage, impure drinking-water, or any other special local feature, which were calculated to induce sickness. We have endeavored to show that, on the contrary, the great proportion of sickness which did occur among the visitors to the Exhibition was dependent upon the circumstances of their visit, such as long and hurried journeys, excessive fatigue while at the grounds, indiscretions in eating and drinking, etc. Not only indeed did large numbers of persons arrive in the city thus predisposed to contract sickness from any cause, but we became acquainted with the fact that in many cases sickness' was actually contracted and had even developed itself before their arrival here. It is of course impossible to estimate the number of such cases, but from our personal knowledge of several deaths and of not a few cases of serious sickness, occurring in this manner, we infer that the total must have been large. Indeed, when we consider the full force of these influences, and the vast numbers upon whom they operated, it appears remarkable that the mortality statistics were not more seriously affected than they were. Thus, we find that out of 10,294 deaths in Philadelphia from all causes during the six months from May 10 to November 10, only 1333, or 11.8 per cent, were from diarrhoeal affec- tions. Of this number no less than 1232 deaths occurred among children under 5 years of age, leaving only loi deaths from all diar- rhoeal affections during the entire Exhibition period among adults and children above 5 years of age. In comparing this with the mortality from the same causes during the corresponding period of previous years, it is found that it is even below the average. Thus, while during the hot months of 1876, from May to November inclusive, the mortality from diarrhoeal affections among children under 5 years of age was 1.38 per 1000 of the total living population, during the 7 years from 1862 to 1868 inclusive the rate was 1.78 per 1000. In regard to diarrhoeal affections occurring among adults, the record of 1876 shows no less favorable results in comparison with previous years. To show how entirely these dis- eases were under the influence of high temperature, we refer to Chart Bureau of Medical Service. Sickness dependent on circumstances under which Exhibition was visited. No excessive amount of diarrhoea in the city.