Mortality of Philadelphia for 1858 : report on meteorology and epidemics : read before the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, February 2, 1859 / by Wilson Jewell.
- Jewell, Wilson, 1800-1867
- Date:
- [1859]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Mortality of Philadelphia for 1858 : report on meteorology and epidemics : read before the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, February 2, 1859 / by Wilson Jewell. 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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![[Extracted from The American Journal of the Medical Sciences for April, 1859.] jrtslitB 0f l^iladtl^iit fat 1858. REPORT ON METEOKOLOGY AND EPIDEMICS. READ BEFORE THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF PHILADELPHIA, FEBBUAEY S3, 1859. BY WILSON JEWELL, M. D. In submitting the annual report to the College, on meteorology and epi- demics, I have occasion anew to refer to the incompleteness of the tables and computations, the inevitable result of inherent difficulties from defective returns under the existing law for the registration of deaths. The best estimate of the health of our city can only be derived from its records of mortality as compared with those of former years and other cities. The value, therefore, of such a record, depends upon its accuracy and truthfulness. Our statistics, however, are, like many elsewhere collected, not only im- perfect in systematic arrangement, but very general, and, in some instances, of doubtful character. This latter defect is attributable in a great measure to the irresponsible sources from which they emanate, and to the frequent false returns made by ignorant and knavish pretenders in medicine, between whom and the scientific and educated physician the statute-books of our commonwealth, as well as a misguided public, recognize no distinction. ^ While it is humiliating to refer to the existence of such irregularities, it is no less essential, in order that proper allowance be made for the incon- gruities which may be discovered in these records of mortality. 3 But notwithstanding the imperfections alluded to, fragments of reliable information have been gathered through these channels, from which may 1 1](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21133402_0001.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
