Letters, etc., on the subject of quarantine.

  • Gilbert Blane
Date:
1799
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letters, etc., on the subject of quarantine. 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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    influence of this heat, Europeans newly arrived, and more especially in circumstances of intemperance, or fatigue in the sun, may be subject to it in many instances ; but that it has usually become general only by the previous influence of that infection which produces the jail, hospital, or ship-fever, or from the influence of putrid exhalations ; and that when so produced it continues itself by infection. It would be too tedious to enumerate the multiplied proofs of this, which have occurred to me in my connexion with the public service. With regard to the effect of ship-infection, it is enough to say that the seamen of ships of war from England, having infectious fevers on board, were observed to be most subject to the yellow fever when they arrived in the West Indies ; and, that the troops which have been conveyed in ill-aired, crowded, and sickly transports, are most liable to it after disembarking. This applies even to that part of them who have arrived in health. And with regard to the effect of putrid exhalations I need only mention that, at the time of the battle of the 12th April, 1782, there was not a sickly ship in our fleet; but many of those officers and men who were sent to take care of the French prizes, were seized with the yellow fever ; and it was observed that when at any time the holds of these ships, which was full of putrid matter, was stirred, there was an evident encrease of these fevers soon after. It has been alledged by some authors that the yellow fever
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