A letter to William Wilberforce, Esq. M.P. &c. &c. &c. containing remarks on a pamphlet entitled An account of the discovery of the power of mineral acid vapours to destroy contagion, by John Johnstone, M.D. Published in London, 1803 / by James Carmichael Smyth.

  • Smyth, James Carmichael, 1741-1821.
Date:
1805
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to William Wilberforce, Esq. M.P. &c. &c. &c. containing remarks on a pamphlet entitled An account of the discovery of the power of mineral acid vapours to destroy contagion, by John Johnstone, M.D. Published in London, 1803 / by James Carmichael Smyth. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

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    in this place, it would have been mentioned; but nothing of the kind appears, nor is any notice taken of the sulphureous or marine ' '1 ^ ' acids. After giving some common dire&ions about not breathing in the atmosphere of the sick, not swallowing the saliva whilst in the room, &c.—He concludes, page 54, c£ Myrrh “ may be held or masticated in the mouth, “ tobacco smoaked, and the mouth may be “ washed with vinegar, or tincture of myrrh “ in water.” Another passage in his book furnishes evidence to the same effea—“ The “ fever which prevailed during this remar - “ able year was very evidently contagious, “ for whole families were either altogether, “ or one after another seized with it; those “ that visited and nursed the sick in one - house, often carried the distemper along “ with them to other places, and were seized « with it themselves. ” Page 17- Now Sir, let me ask any one, how are these fafts to be reconciled with the supposition that Dr Johnstone possessed at the time, the means of preventing the evils he describes. Humanity revolts at the idea, and we must declare him ignorant of the means of destroying con- tagion, or pronounce him criminal in not eni- ploying them.
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