Observations on the laws governing the communication of contagious diseases : and the means of arresting their progress. Read before the Literary and Philosophical Society of New-York, on the 9th of June, 1814.

  • Hosack, David, 1769-1835.
Date:
1815
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the laws governing the communication of contagious diseases : and the means of arresting their progress. Read before the Literary and Philosophical Society of New-York, on the 9th of June, 1814. 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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    little infection: indeed, the extension of this disease, as has already been frequently observed, was so circumscribed within the limits of this impure air that it became very generally believed that, in that season, whatever may have been the case in former years, the disease exclusively arose from those domestic sources, more especially from the putrid provisions. But that the yellow fever of that season did not derive its origin from the spoiled beef is evident, not only from the fact that the disease had already previously appeared in other parts of the town, and even in that very neighbourhood, before those heavy rains had fallen, and their pernicious effects were perceived; but also, that those tainted provisions, unaccompanied with the specific poison of the disease, did not of themselves communicate infection to those who were constantly exposed to their effluvia. Mr. Edmund Prior, the inspector-general of beef at that time, in- formed me, that of forty persons whom he had employed in examining the beef, and in removing and emptying such barrels as were found in a putrid state, not one was taken ill of the yellow fever.* But Dr. Chis- holm and Dr. Stewart have abundantly shown, that decomposed animal or vegetable matters will not, of themselves, produce the pestilence ;f and that this disease is generated in the human system, and communi- cated from one person to another, by a peculiar secretion from the morbid body. My object is to show that when such virus is introduced into a certain state of atmosphere, the disease is readily contracted, but that beyond that atmosphere it is rarely infectious. Although the diseases which have been noticed are rarely communi- cable in pure air, and are not generally contagious in the countrv, it is not less true, that in some few instances it appears, either that the virus, * See Note D. t See Note E.