Medicine a science and an art : a lecture introductory to the course in the Medical Institution of Geneva College / by C. B. Coventry ; delivered March 7th, 1850 ; published by the class.

  • C. B. Coventry
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medicine a science and an art : a lecture introductory to the course in the Medical Institution of Geneva College / by C. B. Coventry ; delivered March 7th, 1850 ; published by the class. 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.)

    16/28
    •can be no question that much the larger portion of disease arises from causes within our control.* Let us now briefly examine the manner in which it is proposed to accomplish this object, or in medical phrase, to fulfil the indication. The Professor of Chemistry will show you the elemen- tary principles out of which this vast fabric of the uni- verse is formed. He will demonstrate the composition of the air we breathe, the water we drink; and will prove to you that infinitely varied as are the products of nature, i they are all formed from a few simple elements, not ex- * This truth has been very strongly illustrated by the prevalence of the cholera during tho present year both in Europe and this country. The Reg- ister General of England, in his report, says : The population of England has suffered, died and decreased during the quarter to a degree of which there is no example during the present century. The annual mortality of the summer quarter of 1849 exceeding the quarterly average by 53 per cent. The excess has been caused almost entirely by cholera. In some districts the people have died by hundreds or by thousands ; in others not far distant few have died, the inhabitants have been unusually healthy. The Register General very justly attributes this difference to the existence of local caus. es of the disease, which might be removed or corrected. We have seen tho same facts strongly illustrated in this country. The city of Utica, with a population of aboat 15,000, is situated on the great thoroughfare from east to west in the State of New York. The Erie canal passes through the centre of the city; and boats with cholera patients were continually passing and re- passing. No pains were taken to exclude persons with the disease from en- tering the city, but the public authorities were indefatigable in their efforts to cleanse and purify the city, and the citizens were urged by the Board of Health to guard against the exciting causes of the disease, and in case of any indication of its approach to apply at once to their physicians. The re- sult was that not a case of cholera was reported to the Board of Health ; the actual mortality, as shown by the sexton's report, was 54 less than the year previous, and but 26 more than tho average for the five preceeding years, though the population has materially increased during that time. Too much credit can scarce be awarded to our worthy mayor, Thomas R. Walker, Esq., for his exertions in producing this happy result.
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image