NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE
             Washington
Founded 1836
U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
             Public Health Service 
 
              "OBITUARY  FOR CHARLESTON,
As reported by the City.Marshal, from the different Cemeteries.
WHITES.
1803J  156

1804.'  416
Male* | Females
1805  295
1806  246

1807;  436
72
130
118
126

157
 BLACKS.) TotaL

Males | Females*
146  130

426
455

584
504
325
1297
288
1156
336 j  1292
Ofwkich
  were
Africans
Number of
 imported
 Africans.
187    5386
268 j   6790

523 I  11458
989!  621   2203 I   1112 '  15676
fa
MONTHLY OBITUARY.
J. ><	u RS 3	u 3 u	-a o u to s	ft. RS < 1 s	tu a 3 >->	•-5	CO Si 3	S CU &. co	CJ O u o	s a <u > o 55	a <U o	o	
1803 1804			1 1			71	S4| 112] 811 90| 66| 504						
	92	68	83| 74| 78		114	194| 2001 1381 1141 811 6111297							
1805	99	. 84	68| 83| 86		S9I 130| 105| 121| 125] 87|" 79| 11.56								
1806 1807	91	101	109| 90| 102| 121| 149j 122] 90] 113| 84|										
	148	160	69	1151 154	136	177	229] 328| 215J 179| 266|2203						
7%? number of Deaths at different ages.

1803 _ 94
180-tj I7o
1805J_1_30
1806|  158
1807|~191
>o
  52
"131
77
 91
116
»o
S
CM
CM
o CO	»o CO	o i *o	o ici	>o	co	*0	o	10 1
o	o	2|2	0 <->	o	0 4-1	o	o *-	o!
CM	O i«5 ;© 'iQ CO 'CO ' «* -?			o	»0	o CO	CO	O ii h- 'l
~> ;o	o	1 <= 1	
x- ;o>	o	1	
o ! o	o	-1	O
•o !o	o	>-l i	
^1
 29|  34|
-QG\  TSf
_S0| _39|_40|24|25j20j 18|1_8J1S|15|10|_9|
50|   69[_ 172I _132|_99|71|68!57)53!30|26|H|15Jl6j
_53|_j58|' 181 f 1371 150i63|70j^7!26[22|32j21 j 1 f)11
 113) 325f 373'j  323| 280|84j96J58J4lJ26f25j28jl6p!
 5  l|18j
^9i""yij/;ii;"
ITR]2^
 5!  2J33J
           504
           1597
           IT56
           1292
12|  4} 2,8*12203
Accidents and Diseases which occasion Death, from the bills  of Mortality,
                                   in Charleston.
=!1
Febrile Diseases.
Infantile Diseases.
Intestinal
Diseases.
Pulmonick Affections
Immorality
	>*										1																	
(1 •	O	-n									Ls					r;												
■V -*"																<J												
13 1 CO 1 3 CB u 1 "* 's i	S	3		4-» c							• 1 X to -> r a 1 o					CCS s							.					
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BOS jj
507 1]
148|
 4d)
_l
162!
- n tti 1 al O. I
133(221 lji
155|26ji[3|j
125|15j3l[j
205|2l]26ii
u-iai., -4-»~>4- «l....jyL
122) 19)51
116 f 8116
_Lii/:i_i_i_sJ_ i i
-CUu.aaL
|32jl4!  3)  164]   j)
571
                               "5|"
          1|29| 7J_a|_5j_|18!| 57|_i|_
129["7i38flll8]l6l  2[ 2]  l[l8j[l34| _2j_
"92lT5[68| 1133122]  3| 6|   J37i|656|" 5]
3|10jl2l 3j -flH_
 | 5:1175|17!2S1321 _j  8|Tl9f21 1| 3j|g2jll|13
If3ij22"3i 51751171 21  6Q  [   j 4[ fj
  6|j200l27|76|38| 2)  9i| 8|   | 4[ 2j
                              |llj ITjlO

7|j207|29|65|49i58| 5||14|  | 5\ 5JJ19J20J18
			i3 S	5			■i	.2			cu		t3	s CO	4-* CCS O						3		J* o o P-. 2	<u hfi	pj
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803 j;  18(13|
2|.  4| 2]  2j  |22|
2|
21
28
804I)61|  |  1| 1|   |10| 1| 2)  |29|  |_|S)|  8f 6|!2|   |  |   | 2|  j  1|  |   |130|
                            6J211  1  11  8j  1  I] 7| 31 3)  |J|_3HL1!JJJJ1°6|
806 J) 92il4|  1|_3|12| 1|_1| 2| 4)39) 2|J|_9|JJ  4J 5| 9j lj 1|  1| 2[  |   [  j   |165|
                                     10|  j  5|12|16| 4|" |10j 2|  j  11  j   |119|
                                     tSS3mS£!mmjSSmS3miimS^
805 !|55J8|   1 71  5j 1|
807 |j 110J 9|"j 3J10J 2| lj 4f9|21|'l]
=(=il
^BiaaMita 
! 
i	N. B. In September about one third of my Patients were those of the Dispensary, the number here set down must be 1 considered in that proportion more than my own.	re r» re 3	3 o < re s o-re •n	O o rr O a* fD J1	CO a rr re 3	3 3 CO	«-1 c	c 3 re	*«1	> •a X	n p*	*1 re cr 2 01 -1 ^4	□ 3	1 - ! oo o 1	
		1		o,	00	-1	L-l L							Endemial Caususj	
		—		oo	to	CO	CO	i to	to.,	to	•—■	h->		Bilious Remit. Fever Intermiting Fever.	
			—		00	to	i—•		to		_4	I—"			
		_£L.		00	00			»-•						Typhus.	
						_~-	-JrL-	^	OO	00	1—4			Small Pox.	
												a	H-	Pleunt. vera.	
		to	ot	to	00			i 1 00			H-1	1		Influenza.	
			i		1—4	►—I		N-				*■ 1		Cynanche Trach.	
				1				1 1				i .' -to		Angina Pectoris.	J
		p—•						1 | 00			00	oo I co		Catharr.	
;			i—i		00			i 1 -			-4	i—i j		Phthisis Pulm.	
								to 1		*■		1 to		Pneumonia.	
		b5>	fcO	-4		1—J		-. i	t—>					Whooping Cough.	
		---_--._	-			-I						-— )			
		Cn	00	*•	to	OO	3	oo !	H-				---	Dysentery. | Diarrhoea. Diarrhaea Infant. |	
		---	1					~ !	~			1—.			
			' 1 •—'		00	00	Cn	00 i	00	1—4	1-4	>- to			
			1		oo	to		1 to I	>—.				--	Worms. 1	
			1		to	1 ! j j					h—.				
!														Hcemoptoe. Dropsy. Haepatatis. 1	
(		to	1		t—1	H-*	1-	1	1	_	h-	|			
\			t—1		to	I 1" 1						|			
		~	I ■""*		to	II 1 »					►—.	— 1		Dispepsia.	
		I—.	1		*-	oo	H-ri	to	- !		1-4	M |		Hysteria.	
			1			i ,		! to i 1				tO 1 *o		... Dysuria.	
			1			~ 1		1 ! 1				|		Tetanus.	
			1			i—" 1		1 1				1		Trismus Nae. j	
		---V	---	---				- |	|	1 *-		•— ' 1-4			
														Epilepsy. ji	
								►"■• I	►—i 1	^-*		|	~	Apoplexy.	
		to			oo			|	**- 1	to 1 to					
												►- 1		Rheumatism. j	
		f-4	►—•	-.	to t			! 1 •- 1				1 l~'		Scrofula.	
			»-*			|			*"*		H*		to	Herpes. Average heat.	
		cn	cn	00 U3)H	00 o»|M	00	00 ©J „	so oo C4)H	05 CO	Oi 1 en to oo		00 C4jN	oo		
		1—4 o| ® w3	to 00 io	51»	OS — to O *>lH	Cjl	00 51*	OMm	00 — | O)' Ol*	tO C5 "- . CJT! 1— i C7> Ol«5|«j O lui*		-4 51 w	to 5. »	Fall of Rain. -Prevailing Winds. Ii l	
I				to to CO		00 00	05 Oi	05 *.		tO; oo to.	1—: >— C5 0"i w3	to cn w3	i- K3 O i-"		
 
I     I 
                       AN

              ORATION,

                DELIVERED BEFORE

      THE  MEDICAL  SOCIETY

                       OF

            SOUTH-CAROLINA,

    AT  THEIR ANNIVERSARY  MEETING,

                  Dec. 24th, 1807.

                       AND

        FUBLISHED AT THEIR REQUEST.
 i. . ii... mi. 1.1 ■JtLi.,11 ..i.mim.ih..,, wuj—•n-------\- y mil nw-i mum^i
     BY  JOSEPH JOILVSOXy  M. D.
   President of the Medical Society of South-Carolina.
^.4^..-. ........-------" -"T"||iTMIII»1-1ll  «M—Ih-^iytitrttnMi-iirt.liT  i II Hlll.llil»iid llliimiiWMllltllllll ll'il'HIIW

                CHARLESTON:
              TZIXTED AND TVBI.1SHF.D
  BY MARCH ANT,  WILLING TON  AND  '" <
     N'1 143, BROAD-STREET, NKAJl TEE EXCHANCE. 
C t:vt.M > 
ORATION, &c.
     GENTLEMEN,

 1 he diseases prevalent in this city,  since
the year 1792, being  generally  the same,
and  their  symptoms varying but little in
each succeeding year, since that period, few
or no remarks, which  to  you may appear
novel or interesting, can be expected in their
history.   A sense of duty to our successors
in practice, and to the laws of our society,
have urged me to this undertaking; with a
reliance, that my. endeavours to complete a
view of the changes in the weather, and of
the diseases to which we are exposed, will
meet with your indulgence.

    The present year set in  with the most
uniform cold weather that has been known
since the commencement of our journal, in
the year 1793.   Occasional  showers alone 
4
 prevented the occurrence of ice,  on every
 night in Jan ottrjv except the last.   The ther-
 mometer, though not so low at any time as
 in February,  stood at a much lower average,
 having, until the last day of the mouth, ranged
 at thirty-three degrees, and,  including  the
 heat of the last day, averaged at  thirty-six
'degrees.   On the eighteenth there was a  fall
 of snow.    The  winds prevailed twenty-two
 days from the northern, and nine, from  the
 eastern points of the compass.   Throughout
 the continent the severity of the cold was. in
 proportion j in Boston the thermometer (pro-
 bably in an exposed situation) fell  to 0, and
 hi Portsmouth to eight degrees below 0.

     Although the coldest day, in  this, or
 any  other  year,  since  1796,  occurred  in
 February, the average of the thermometer
 was twelve and three quarter degrees higher
 than  in  the  proceeding  month;    on  the
 seventh, sheltered from the weather, it stood
 at twenty-four degrees,  and when exposed
 fell to sixteen degrees* 
5
     The changes  in  February and March
 ^ere very great and sudden;  on the sixth
 the thermometer fell thirtv-two  deerces in
 seventeen  hours, as appears by  our diary,
 and had, probably, been lower, but  again
 nsen at eight o'clock  in the morning, the
 usual  hour of  observation.   On the  tenth
 it had  increased tweftty-seven degrees in
 thirty-one hours, and  many other changes,
 of  fifteen to twenty-four  degrees,  are ob-
 served in short periods during these months.
 Snow  fell two hours  and an half,   cn the
 third of February, and on the thirteenth there
 was smart thunder.   The thermometer flue-
 tuatcd  from twenty-four  to  sixty-nine de-
 grees.JBeven inches and three tenths of rain
 fell in this  month, and six inches and six
 and an half tenths in March.   The  country
 was  overflowed, and the roads, for a time^
 were impassable to carriages.

    The spring was  unusually cold and
backward;  as late as the third of May there
was a frost;  so that, the remark  of  gold-
smith, respecting the climate of the Alps, 
6
 was applicable to ours, in this extraordinary
 season;—it was
      " Winter lingering in the lap of May."
 The plantations and gardens were much  in-
 jured by this weather,  and in a way,  as ex-
 traordinary as the cause.   The young crops
 having been repeatedly destroyed by frost,
 they were replaced with great industry, and
 when the  planter thought the danger past, his
 prospects were blasted by  myriads of cater-
 pillars, which, like the locusts rf Egypt, des-
 troyed alike the whole . vegetable   world...
 The chenille had been repeatedly observed in
 cool seasons; but, now, a species, which, to
the  astonished  planter appeared a new crea-
 tion, not only destroyed.the cotton, eorn and
 rice,  but swept even the g>ass  from the
 meadows, that scarcely a vestage remained.

     The spring having been so backward,
 the accession of summer was as rapid in pro-
portion, and the eleventh of June was one of
 the hotest days to which our climate is sub-
ject; the thermometer standing at ninety-two
degrees, in a very cool situation, and at nine* 
7
ty-four,  generally,  through the city.   The
average heat of July was eighty-six degrees ;
a  range  considerably higher than had been
observed since 1796; and somewhat exceed-
ing the great heat  of that year.   From the
twenty-sixth of July to the eighteenth of Au-
gust there had been but one shower; the heat
being  steady and considerable, the Endemial
Causus commenced about the latter date, and
was aggravated by the extremely hot weaa
ther, from the first to the fifth of September,
when the thermometer,  at noon, in the cool-
est situation,  varied from ninety degrees to
ninety-two and an half.  September was, from
sickness and death, the blackest month ever
recorded  in Charleston, there having been
three hundred and twenty-eight  interments;
of which one hundred and fourteen were from
Endemial Causus ;  and  at least one fourth of
the inhabitants were affected with the Influen-
za about the last pf the month.   From the
second of October to the fifth of November,
there had been no rain, and on the twenty-one
days preceeding, there had o nly fallen onp
tenth and an half.  During the first six weeks 
8
of this lime, the weather was clear and gene-
rally calm, but when the winds did increase,
the inhabitants were distressed still more by
the clouds of dust which drifted in ever) di-
rection ;   the  winds, fortunately,  prevailed
from  the  east,  so that the heat was not op>
pressive.  All  the ponds, and many of the
wells and  ST>ri:iffs, were dry, so that in coun-
try places many cattle died for want of water,
and travellers could not obtain a sufficiency,
near the roads, either for themselves or their
horses.   The  atmosphere  was hazy  and
thick, as  if  filled with a subtle dust, and the
sun,  as if deprived of its rays, appeared of
a fiery redness.   On the twentieth of  Octo-
ber the weather became  cool, and  a frost
took  place  within two miles of  the city,
which, being,  occasionally,  succeeded by
others, the  atmosphere  was  cleared  and
the effects of the drought  not so oppressive
in  the city.   It  may, however, be said to
continue  even at this time,  for,  from the
eleventh  of September, to  the twenty--::,?
instant,  a term of three  months and ten 
3
tenths of rain;  the usual quantity of a smiir*.
shower.

     Doctor Chalmers describes the dis-
tress of the inhabitants, in  the  year  1752,
during a drought of only thirty days; but,
then, the  thermometer  was, occsionally, as
high as ninety.seven and ninety-eight de-
grees,  in  the  shade.    As we have  never
observed  our thermometer above ninety-
three degrees,  it is probable the doctor may
have kept his in some situation exposed to
reflected heat.

    During this time the minds of the in-
habitants were amused by their speculations
On  a Comet.  It was discovered about the
fifteenth of September, and had, probably,
been vissible several weeks before.  On the
twenty-ninth of that month,  at nine o'clock,
in the evening,  it was ten degrees south-west
of Saturn; and, to the naked eye, appeared
somewhat larger than that planet.  Its decli-
nation was thirty-five minutes south, and its
right ascention two hundred and fourteen do* 
10
g; ees from Aries, which would bring it ver-
tical to fifteen  minutes south latitude,  and
one. hundred and seventy-one degrees, forty-
five  minutes  east longitude  from London;
a spot near a small island  in  the Pacifick
ocean.  Its orbit intersected the Ecliptick,
in the twenty-eighth degree  of Libra, with
an  inclination of fifty-eight  degrees, forty
minutes.  It  moved eastwardly,  a  little  in-
dining to the north, at the rate of eleven
and an half miles an hour.

     By many,  the  dreadful Influenza that
oppressed them, with all the  aggravations of
the drought,  wTere ascribed  to this Comet...
In  the days  of superstition, such appear-
ances were alarming    As their nature was
not understood, if any evils  had occurred or
were then operating, the Comet was the un-
doubted cause.   If  none had existed, man,
groping  in the dark,  and  fearful  in   the
gloom of ignorance,  would deem the  ap-
pearance  of  a  Comet ominous  of  some
great, some national calamity.   It is true
the nature of Comets is far from being well 
n
understood; but their course,distance, extent
and velocity,  being ascertained, their ex-
treme distance from the Earth, their incon-
siderable magnitude as heavenly bodies, and
their probable  crystalline nature, convince
most men, that they, have never approached
near enough to have an influence, either on
the  Earth or  its atmosphere.  If changes,
in the health of man, or in the weather, or
in the tides,  are to be ascribed to planetary
influence, causes, infinitely greater than this,
have occured without  producing  a  sensible
effect.   Oct ber the first 1803,  six planets,
yiz: the Sun, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
and Herschell,  were nearly in conjunction ;
they were  within a space of thirty-one de-
grees.  It is said, that the tieles rose so  high.
at that time, as to flow into the  cellars  on
the  wharves,  although there was no  gale.
Your diary will explain this  occurrence;  by
it we find that  north-east winds prevailed at
that time, and  had continued, with but two
exceptions,'  from the  eleventh of the  pre-
ceeding  month.   Our uniform  experience
proves such high tides to be  eccasioned  by 
12
 north-east winds retarding the gulf-stream ;
 why, then, should we ascribe this elevation
 to causes so remote?   Again, on the first of
 September 1805,  five planets, viz: Mercu-
 ry, Venus,  Mars,  Saturn,  and Herschell,
 were within  a space  of seventeen degrees;
 no  extraordinary occurence was noticed....
 But the advocates for  lunar influence will
 observe,  if the health and  mind  of  man,
 the motion of the tides,  and changes in the
 weather, are affected  by the changes  in the
 moon, why may not the conjoined attraction
 of so many greater planets produce an effect
 in proportion ? Let them establish their po-
 sition before any inference is drawn.

     I will not deny that we are more sub-
ject  to diseases about the  periods of the
new and full Moon, but  the changes in the
weather will fully account for  this circum-
stance.   Such  changes may also be more
frequent at these periods,  but they likewise
occur at other periods, and are  followed by
the same diseases.   Mania and the Menstru-
al Flux cannot be  influenced by the Moon,- 
13
although they may,return at lunar  months,-
for they occur alike at all ages of the Moon..
What are the changes- of the Moon, that they
should be productive of such vast  effects?
Do they consist in any essential-change in the
Moon itself? Certainly not:  they consist in
mere Moonshine;  in a greater.or less degree
Of borrowed light  reflected on the Earth.....
Can  this slight,  this gradual change, be
capable of such vast influence ?

     It may be deemed heretical to  question
^n opinion  which has  been sanctioned  by
ages; an opinion first advanced by the Greek
writer  cleomlnes, advocated by  pliny,
and  approved by  istewton-  But  with the
greatest reverence for these philosophers,  I
must offer a few of the  many objections to
their theory,  for  all physiologists  discuss
the question.   If  the Moon had power to
raise the tides daily, there would be but one
tide  in twenty-four hours.   They, however,
say that the Sun,  although not in so great  a
degree, has likewise the power of attracting
or raising the tides.  If this were true, the 
                    14
 seconel tide  should always occur about the
 same  hour of the  day,  as  certainly as the
 Sun  arrives  at his zenith.   Again, if this
 were true, in the  first  and  last quarters of
 the Moon, when that planet rises and  sets
 about the same time with the Sun, the only
 tide that could  occur in twenty-four hours,
 should be in the day,  and should be higher
 than other tides, in proportion to the com..
 bined influence of the  Sun and  Moon....
 Modern  astronomers  introduce  centrifugal
 force to  assist them in accounting for  these
 phenomena;  although this  is  much  more
 satisfactriry,  it  cannot  account  for  there
 being  no tides  in  the Mediterranean and
 other inland  seas.  We  are  the more im-
 pressed with this, when we  reflect that the
 smaller body  should be most affected by the
 attracting power,  and, that the surrounding
 shores, by opposing  the current,  if any,
 should give the tide a greater elevation.

     It may not be  doing well, to oppose so
respectable a  theory, without being  able to
offer a better; but this was not  my  object, 
15
I only wished to weaken the general opinion
of lunar  and planetary influence,  that  it
might not be supposed the health of man  is
affected  there y,  and that  we might  be
the more immediately  guarded against the
changes in the weather for the preservation
of health.

     I do not, however, wish to discourage
investigations of this kind, because we have
not yet discovered the  truth.   We may ap-
proximate,  although we do  not arrive  at
certainty, and  he who assigns a reason lor
an  operatr n  of nature, and convinces us
that a particular effect  may proceed from an
assigned cause, is  entitled to  our respect
and gratitude.  'The man who is enterpris-
ing and  diligent in  the study  of nature,  is
like a body luminous  and vivifying to the
literary world   Let us not cease to hope,
that the  same effort of reason  and observa-
tion which developed the- mysteries of the
planetary system, of electricity,  and of the
composition of water,  may yet  unfold the
different  disiderata in science ! 
16
     Although  the cold weather in the
fall; commenced at the usual time,  and with
the  usual  degree,  it  afterwaids  became
warm;  the thermometer fluctuating  from
seventy to seventy-five  so  late as the fif-
teenth of December, and even now it con*
tinues unseasonably warm.

 --To render a minute detail of  the dis-'
eases unnecessary, I have prepared a table
from my own  practice, of the  diseases  oc-
curing in each month, with a  proportional
addition of such diseases as  are reported in
our medical journal,  where they had not oc- j
curred in  my own;  of these the instances
were  few...I submit  it for your future in-
spection.

    From  several circumstances, my prac-
tice is small,  compared with  that of  many
gentlemen of this society; still, I presume,
the table will be  found correct, in  propor-
tion  with the  practice of others,  ?.s nearly
as possible;   the  casualties  and diseases, 
IT
which occur alike at all seasons of* the yea?
are omitted.

     Vaccination was preserved through-
ought the year, except from  the  middle of
November to that  of  December;  during
which time the natural Small-Pox increased,
and several  physicians reluctantly innoculat-
ed   It is now, very happily,  revived from
a scab of the late stock, about four weeks
old;  of fifty vaccinations, or  more, made
from this scab, only one succeeded.

   Dysentery  was much  more  general
and severe than had been known for many
years;  it was,  probably,  introduced and
kept up by the continued importations  of
Africans; and this, succeeded by dropsies,
Carried  off great numbers of those wretched
people.    Among the inhabitants it differed,
in one  respect, from Dysentery  in former
yearsj  in very few  instances  were tonic!:
or astringent  remedies admissible, at any
stage of the disease.
             c 
18
     Influenza is noticed as occurring <n
 March and April,  although  not sanctioned
 by our  journals.    My opinion  was then
 supported  by  the concurrence  of several
 eminent physicians, and has since  been con-
 firmed  by a correspondence of symptoms
 with that which prevailed in the  fall.  On
 the first  of its appearance,  in the  latter pe-
 riod,  the symptoms were  so mild that few <
 required the attendance of  a physician...
 This lulled  many  into a fatal security ; and
 when about  half the inhabitants had  been
 attacked by it,  a cold change took place in
 the weather, during which many  relapsed, .
 and several lost their lives.   So general was
 the prevalence of  this disease, about the
 middle of October, that  many  families had
 from fifteen to twenty sick at  one time: ser-
 vants could not be hired  to do the duties of
 a family, nor nurses procured-to attend the
 sick.   Relapses were  very frequent; in all
such cases  the symptoms  were greatly ag-
 gravated, and  frequently accompanied by
 violent  determinations to the  Pleura and
Mediastinum-  However severe the Influenzal 
19
 was in Charleston,  it was  much more  dev
 tructive  in  the interiour country, and along
 the  northern boundary of  the state.   In
 Georgetown, eight persons were lying dead
 of it in  one day;  and in  Allanstown, in
 North-Carolina,  out  of  nine  masters of
 families,  seven are said to have  died of this
 complaint, whole families  were sick at the
 same time; and  in  a  small  neighbourhood
 at Cashaway ferry,  nine families of children
 are likewise said to have been  left orphans
 by  this prevailing  malady.  With  persons
 advanced in years  it was  most violent;
J next to these, with persons having irritable
 lungs;  next, with persons  left debilitated
 by previous inflammatory  complaints; and,
 lastly, with pregnant women: in these, mis-
 carriage  was a  frequent  consequence.......
 Bleeding and other evacuants, with emolient
 drinks were the only remedies necessary at
 the  first,  but frequent blisters  were after-
 wards  requisite.    In  the country places
 above mentioned, bleeding is said to  have
 been injurious, and probably was so; the
 difficulties attending country practice render 
20
 il impossible  for  so active a remedy to be
 always seasonably applied.

     On the subject of  Yellow Fever,  I re-
 gret having nothing  new  to offer, towards
 the  cure of  the disease.  The  symptoms
 varied from  those  of  former years  in a
 greater disposition  to Typhus,  so that bark
 and other tonicks, formerly rejected in every
 stage, were now kindly received,  and,  fre-
 quently,  beneficial;  mercury  is  still  the
 favourite remedy.  This  dreadful disease
 having raged in different parts of the United'
 States, ever since the  year 1792, still baffles
 the  greatest medical  skill.   The greatest
 human strength is prostrated before the pes-
 tilential breath of this, as of the lernian hydra;
 respect is^paid t© the pride of manhood,  or
 to the loveliness of the weaker sex : vigour,
 youth and beauty are  the chosen  victims of
 its rage.  A sympathetick grief pervades the
 breast  of each inhabitant;  scarcely a father
 or a brother, or a son,  whose heart does not
throb with  appre-hension for, who has  not
too frequently to lament the loss  of, some 
m
infant hope, or beloved relative, lately return-
ed from the acquirement of an education,  or
the completion of urgent business; returned
to  fan  the warmth  of his  affection, and
brighten his  hopes,  too  soon to be blasted
by this  fell disease.

     If  all  human strength, supported  by
medical  skid,  cannot  avail  against  the
furious  attack  of this monster,  may  not
enterprise,  conducted  by  observation and
reason  prevent  its origin.     Observation
points to the drains and other receptacles of
filth,  and  reservoirs  of stagnant water, as
the sources of its being.  Reason convinces
us, that if these  receptacles of filth, were
daily cleansed  of their  putrifying  con-
tents, so  as  to  prevent  exhalation,  this
hydra could  not exist.   Enterprise,  con-
firmed  by experience,  assures us that water
may  be conducted through our  streets, so
as not only to remove the  fermenting mat-
ter from the drains, but answer many other
valuable purposes.   Let, then,  the talents
and influence  ef this society, be  exerted to 
22
promote so desirable an object;  let a cont-
miitee  of  your members be appointed  to
prove  that  this dreadful disease  originates
from these sources,  and state the most stri-
king instances of similar results fr  m similar
causes ;  let them prove, that this disease may
probably be prevented by frequently cleans-
ing the drains of their impure contents ; and
recommend the destribution of water through
the city by conduits, with  a view to this
great object.  This foe to the prosperity and
happiness of Charleston, may thus  be van-
quished  without Herculean  aid.  Rescued
from  this fiend, trade  and commerce  will
again flourish  in  the .summer season, and
their increase be, at  the least, in  proportion
to the extension of time  allotted for these
pursuits.  Protected  from danger,  men  of
wealth, industry and talents wid become your
inhabitants : nay/you will preserve the many
valuable friends who now wish to remove,
rather than be exposed,  with  their  families.
to such scenes of distress and danger.
     The obituary which I now present for
your inspection, will., although very imper- 
23
feet, be, nevertheless, useful.  The want of
a regular system for affording acorrect know-
ledge of the diseases will now be felt and
probably remedied.  The number of newly
imported Africans swells our bills of mortali-
ty to  so great an extent, that I congratulate
you on  the time approaching when that ag-
gravation will cease ; they now compose one
half of all the deaths in the year.   Even the
proportion of deaths among themselves has
greatly increased;  at first a twenty-ninth part
of the number  imported died; but now a
f airteenth  of the whole.  The diseases and
deaths in  the year 1803, are  only recorded
from  the first of July, yet this defect aflbrds
some light.  It proves that a great proportion
of deaths   from  Tetanus and Worms occurs
in the summer  months : That Convulsions,
Pulmontck Affections,  Apoplexy, and  Sore
Throats, are much more fatal in the first part
of the year. The proportion of deaths among
children is distressing;  one fifth, and in  some
years one  fourth of all that are born,  die un-
der five years of age. The proportion of such
deaths is  likewise increased in the summer
season, as  we observe them rated at nearly 
                   24

one third in 1803.  From inaccuracy  in the
reports,  all  deaths from Diarrheas are set
down under the head of Biarrhcea Infantum;
one fifth or one sixth of this number should
probably be taken off, and set down  under
the head Diarrhaa*  The number of deaths
under the head of  Consumption,  including-
those of Debility, amounts to an average of
rather less than one sixth; of these it is fair
to remark, that many cases are brought to us
from the Northern States, ©n account of the
mildness  of our climate in the winter sea-
son ; and it  is fondly to be hoped that less
attention to fashion, and more to health, in
the tender sex, will hereafter greatly decrease
the numbers who fall victims to this disease.
Although the changes are great and sudden,
our  climate is certainly more  favourable to
Pulmonick Affections, man that of the eastern
and middle states; for even in New-York, from
one  fourth to one third of ail that die, perish-
by these complaints. Among -children, like-
wise,  however  unfavourable to them,  our
climate may be reputed, the number of deaths
is one  seventh  less, in proportion, than in
New-York. 
 
 
VeJ.. Wist,





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