Selected monographs.

Date:: 1888

Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Selected monographs. Source: Wellcome Collection.

182/440 (page 164)

on tlie influence of impure air in the production of the disease^ and the very frequent presence of the rubeoloid exanthema in those affected with it. Dr. Tweedie, in his interesting observations on the ' Influence of Impure Air on the G-eneration of Typhus,' refers to the opinion of Sir John Pringle, who states, that he has observed the hospitals of an army, not only when crowded with sick, but at any time when the air is confined, and especially in hot weather, pro- duce fever of a peculiar kind, which is often mortal; and he remarked, that the same thing arose in full and crowded barracks, and in transport ships, when filled beyond a due number, and detained long by contrary winds, or when the men had been long kept at sea under close hatches in stormy weather. He also refers to the experience of Mr. Pearson, who, he says, told me, that when he was surgeon of the Lock Hospital, he uniformly observed, when more than a certain number of patients were placed in any of the wards, fever became prevalent in the establishment; and that, fi-om repeated observation of this fact, he was induced to restrict the number of beds in each ward, and never afterwards wit- nessed the recurrence of fever in the house. It appears to me that the instance cited by Dr. Roupell (at p. 54 oi his work) of fever coming on, in the Kefuge, open in 1830-31, on the north side of the Thames, at a time when the wards were crowded to excess, might alone suffice to cast strong doubts on the correctness of his opinion. If we consult the details given from p. 7 to p. 42 of Gau- thier de Claubry's elaborate treatise, of various epidemics of tvphus, described by such men as Pringle, Eoux, Hufeland, Ducastaing, Eeveille Parise, Tresat, Tort, Gilles de la Tourette, Laurent, Ardy, Magnin, &c., and his summary from p. 100 to p 114 we find the unanimous voice referring the gene- ration of the disease to vitiated air, arising from the crowded state of the hospitals, the carnage among troops and inhabi- tants, and the want of burial; the scarcity of• provisions, depressing passions, exposure to cold and fatigue are like- wise more or less frequently mentioned; but we are entitled to regard these as merely accessaryfor we have already Hoen!he development of typhus where these conditions wcn^ wanting. Montault, from an extensive induction ot facts.