The effect of the nitrous vapour, in preventing and destroying contagion : ascertained, from a variety of trials, made chiefly by surgeons of His Majesty's Navy, in prisons, hospitals, and on board of ships : with an introduction respecting the nature of the contagion, which gives rise to the jail or hospital fever, and the various methods formerly employed to prevent or destroy this.

James Carmichael Smyth

Date:: 1815

Credit: The effect of the nitrous vapour, in preventing and destroying contagion : ascertained, from a variety of trials, made chiefly by surgeons of His Majesty's Navy, in prisons, hospitals, and on board of ships : with an introduction respecting the nature of the contagion, which gives rise to the jail or hospital fever, and the various methods formerly employed to prevent or destroy this. 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.)

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[ *5 ] us to know whether the contagion cannot be pre- vented or deflroyed. Of the Means of preventing and of destroying the jail Contagion. As we are perfectly acquainted with the caufes of the jail contagion, we could certainly prevent its formation, provided the means of doing fo were al- ways in our power; but as we cannot command thefe, our next object is to endeavour to correct, or deftroy it, when formed. As a knowledge of the nature and origin of the jail contagion naturally led to the proper and effectual means of correcting or deftroying it, fo, on the other hand, the means that have been fuccefsfully employed to deftroy it, afford the mod convincing evidence of-its true nature. The various means hitherto employed for deftroy- ing contagion, may be arranged under two diftinct heads, or clalTes, viz. the Phylical and the Chemical. All contagions, whether fpecific or putrid, are either checked or completely deflroyed, by the ex- tremes of heat and cold ; and from a free expofure to air and water, are fo diluted or dilfolved, as to lofe their noxious quality. Heat and cold then, with air and water, may be looked upon as phyfi- cal agents, which, under certain circumftances, are effectual in blunting or deflroying contagion. A de- gree of heat, nearly that of an oven, is found ne- ceflary for the complete deftruction of contagion, but as this degree of heat is incompatible with ani- mal life,* its application is folely confined to the D purifying * A great heat, like that cf an oven, fuch as would prove deftrudive to all animal life, effectually deftroys this infection in ail fubftances which can be for fome time expofed to it. Vide Lind's Obfervations on the Jail Diftemper, Ann. 1779

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