Observations medical and political, on the small-pox, and the advantages and disadvantages of general inoculation, especially in cities : and on the mortality of mankind at every age in city and country; with a comparative view and regular tables of all the fatal diseases and casualties in London, during the last one hundred and five years, ... To which is added a postscript, containing the sketch of an easy plan for new modelling and essentially improving the London bills of births and mortality ... / by W. Black.

William Black

Date:: 1781

Credit: Observations medical and political, on the small-pox, and the advantages and disadvantages of general inoculation, especially in cities : and on the mortality of mankind at every age in city and country; with a comparative view and regular tables of all the fatal diseases and casualties in London, during the last one hundred and five years, ... To which is added a postscript, containing the sketch of an easy plan for new modelling and essentially improving the London bills of births and mortality ... / by W. Black. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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f 1^3 ] ifland, have alfo copied and imitated fuch wife and ufefal examples* Public records of births and mortality are now partly become the rules of political arithmetic 5 but unfortunately for Politicians and Medica^men^ they are yet far too incor-= reft and imperfefl. Regillers of difeafes and deaths fhould be entrufted to more ikilful heads than to a couple of ignorant old wo- men, nominated by each parifh, and called in their diftrifts, parifii fearchers: at pre- fent they confider the ultimatum of their commiffion and duty, is merely to prevent private funerals and concealed murders. The whole bufinefs in London is conduced in the following inaccurate manner. Upon either being fent for to infpeft a corpfe, or on hearing the bell toll, and infpv^fting the books kept in the different churches, the fearchers are apprized, from whence notice has been fent of a death, in order that a grave may be opened: the two matrons then, whofe in- duftry is ftimulated by a fmall fee on each corpfe, and whofe report is necefTary previ- ous to interment, fet out to examine that no violence has been committed upon the dead, of which they have taken an official I oath

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