Some account of the last yellow fever epidemic of British Guiana / by Daniel Blair ; edited by John Davy.

Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Some account of the last yellow fever epidemic of British Guiana / by Daniel Blair ; edited by John Davy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

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    From the foregoing tables it will be seen that our late epidemic, in its prevalence and virulence, had two maxima, which were divided by the year 1840. In fact, from the gradual diminution of virulence in the intervening period between the maxima points, it would seem as if our last had been a double epidemic. In the last six months of 1840 there were but 14 deaths out of 613 total admissions into the Seaman's Hospital; or 9 deaths out of 225 yellow fever cases. This interval contrasts strongly with the more abrupt lull which occurred in December, 1837, and beginning of 1838. It is also seen that the epidemic has been subject to the general laws which influence the prevalence and virulence of febrile and other colonial disorders generally, as respects months, and that the vernal equinox through all conditions persists in being the healthiest period of the year.* The termination of the epidemic was preceded by the pre- valence of the simplex form, denoting that the virus had become gradually weaker; till, at last, in the great rainy season of 1845, it entirely ceased, superseded by a slight, but a very general influenzal * [The following Return of Deaths from Fever, in Barbados, is given for the purpose of comparison; the accordances do not require to be pointed out, whether as to duration, fluctuation, or apparent influence of season. Return of the Deaths from Fever, monthly, amongst the Troops in the Garrison of St. Ann, Barbados, exclusive of Officers, for a period of Eleven Years, in the first six of which, and the two last, Yellow Fever was the prevailing form of the Disease. 1838. 1839. 1840. 1841. 1842. 1843. 1844. 1845. 1846. 1847. 1848. Totals. January - - 1 5 7 21 34 February - - 2 4 2 1 9 2 20 March - - - 1 6 2 12 2 1 1 1 4 30 1 1 7 1 1 2 4 17 May - - - 2 1 1 1 5 June - - - 1 9 2 4 16 July - - - 1 1 1 1 5 9 August - - 1 2 2 4 2 1 6 18 September 3 2 17 22 October - - 2 1 10 2 2 13 30 November 6 17 16 4 2 1 1 43 90 December 5 13 10 16 3 30 77 Total - - - 14 50 16 53 44 26 2 3 5 5 77 295 ]—Ed. t In 1844 the first cases of scarlatina known to have occurred in the colony were seen. The subjects of it, however, were chiefly children of the colonists, and those of the mixed races.