Observations on the connexion between famine and fever in Ireland, and elsewhere / by Henry Kennedy.

  • Kennedy, Henry, 1811?-1887.
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the connexion between famine and fever in Ireland, and elsewhere / by Henry Kennedy. 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.

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    These latter points connected with this Epidemic may appear very trifling; but in reality they are not so. The considerable increase in fever before famine shows itself; the unusual severity in the more common diseases, observed not only in this country but most extensively in England; the comparatively sudden spread of such diseases as smallpox, and dysentery: all point to a general cause, to which 3ome authors have given the name of “an Epidemic Constitution.” I do not profess to be able to define in what this consists, but to myself it appears to be quite evident that it is a something, which is ten-fold more diffused than famine; that in point of fact famine is an effect—and but a very small effect—of some more general cause; which cause also gives rise to epidemic diseases. There will be occasion to allude to this point again. Let it not be forgotten either that the Historians of the Epidemic under consideration, mention three distinct causes for the numerous deaths which took place; viz.: dysentery, fever, and famine; by the latter of which is meant pure want. Now, according to the theory ad- vanced, none should die of starvation; which, I think it will be admitted, is the usual result of want of food; but only of fever. But this was not found to be the case.* Of the years which intervened between this last Epidemic of 1740 -41 and 1800 little need be said. In the year 1771 an epidemic fever occurred. It is recorded by Sims; began in the summer of 1771, raged with violence as the autumn advanced, continued through a severe winter, and in its course completed the circle of a year. It claimed, said Sims, the prerogative of the plague: almost all other diseases vanishing before its sovereign presence. Barker,t to whose most valuable writings I will now have frequent occasion to recur, thus speaks; p. 9:—“ Persons advanced in years still speak of the havoc which disease produced in the year after the hard frost, that is, 1740, but no recollection is preserved of the Epidemic described by Dr. Sims, although it occurred thirty years later; it wanted the concurrence of public calamity, of famine, or intestine war, to give it the stamp which belongs to the great Epidemics of 1740, 1800, and 1817.”—Here it will be observed is an epidemic fever occurring without famine to account for it. j We now arrive at the year 1800, during which, and the following one, a very wide-spread fever existed in this country. When we come to inquire closely into all the circumstances however connected with this Epidemic, it will be seen that it was very similar to what * Wakefield thus speaks, p. 8. vol. 2. “ In the year 1740-41, the horrors of scarcity again returned, and thousands of the poor are said to have perished of absolute want, and the use of bad provisions.” t This work was published in 1821. % Since writing the above I have examined the original Work of Sims; and there is no doubt whatever, that there was no famine to account for the Epidemic of 1771.—The causes of the fever are discussed at p. 183 : but famine is not mentioned at all. D