with so much benefit, I was induced to try it; but after smoking it as directed, for three days, I was sensible the complaint was returning; and I verily believe in another day or two I should have been laid up with a severe spasmodic paroxysm of asthma, had I not got supplied with the genuine stramonium; and from that day to this I have enjoyed perfect health.

I am happy to add, that since I have experienced so much benefit from the smoke of the stramonium myself, I have recommended it in two cases of spasmodic asthma with the best effect; and I am so sanguine as to believe, that if this herb is not a specific for this hitherto unmanageable complaint, it will at least prove a most valuable auxiliary to other remedies that may be employed, as I apprehend it will no way interfere with any medicine, &c. that may be deemed advisable.

London, April 24, 1811.

V.

Reply to the "Inquiry into the Exactness of some Statements made by Messrs Nagle and Wilson, Naval Surgeons, respecting their extraordinary Success in the Treatment of Yellow Fever. By a Naval Surgeon." By J. WILSON, Esq. Surgeon, Royal Navy.

HA

SIR,

AVING observed, in your Journal for the first quarter of this year, an article, entitled, "Inquiry into the Exactness of some Statements made by Messrs Nagle and Wilson, respecting their extraordinary Success in the Treatment of the Yellow Fever," in which my professional and moral character are attacked, I feel myself impelled by what is due to myself, as well as to the cause of truth, and the best interests of society, to reply to the false glosses and errors into which your correspondent has been hetrayed. I shall not take up your pages by enlarging on the unfairness and cruelty of such attacks, nor in descanting on the painful predicament to which a man of sentiment is reduced in having his veracity and honour publickly questioned, and the humiliating task to which he must stoop in vindicating himself, even when possessed of the most ample means of doing so. Waving all this, and admitting that the author is acting bona fide, believing in the truth and correctness of his hasty and

gratuitous assertions, it becomes my duty to put him, and those whom he may mislead, right with regard to the points in question.

With a view to this, you will allow me to restate the outline of the narrative which forms the groundwork of this contest.

On the 16th of May 1795, his Majesty's ships Thetis and Hussar, cruising off the Chesapeak, fell in with five French armed ships, two of which, after an action, they captured. We learned that they had sailed from Gaudaloupe, where the yellow fever then prevailed, and that several men had died on the passage of this disease, in La Raison, the ship of which we took posscssion. Those men who were sent on board to conduct the prize into port, to the number of fourteen, including officers, were all taken ill, and only five survived on their arrival at Halifax, after a passage of eleven or twelve days. The contagion soon began to show itself on board of the Hussar, in consequence of intercourse with the prize. Of these ten, four died in the course of five or six days. The nature of the symptoms left no ambiguity as to its being the yellow fever, with the appearances of which I, having served in the West Indies, was well acquainted. The diagnostic symptoms of that fever, which are so striking, were all present, namely, the yellow suffusion of the skin; the vomiting of a dark-coloured fluid; the burning heat in the stomach and bowels; great malignity; and death after an illness of a few days.

The uncommon aspect and mortality of this disease so alarmed the inhabitants of Halifax, that they requested the commander to order both the sick who had been received into the hospital, and the whole ship's company, to an uninhabited spot on the opposite, or Dartmouth shore. This was accordingly done, and they were accommodated under tents. Here the sickness continued to spread among the crew with exactly the same symptoms with those who were taken ill on board, except that it lost its character of malignity, insomuch that not one of those died who were taken ill after the removal on shore. They were eighty-three in number. My treatment has been criticised by your anonymous correspondent, particularly that part of it which relates to the employment of tartarized antimony, in which he suppresses my remark, that this, as well as blood-letting, could in no case be advisable but once, and that in the very beginning of the complaint, for the purpose of relieving the stomach and bowels of redundant bile. And here I cannot help contrasting this comment with that of Dr Currie, who gives full credit to the reasons assigned by me for this practice. I have only farther to remark, that I feel myself bound in candour to acknow

ledge, and gladly seize the opportunity of doing so, that, according to my more mature reflection and conviction, I believe I have attributed too much of my success to treatment; being now persuaded that much more was imputable to change of climate, and that neither cold affusion nor any known mode of practice could, in a tropical climate, have produced results in the least parallel to what I witnessed in Nova Scotia.

Your candid and intelligent readers will readily perceive, that this absence of malignity in the cases occurring at Halifax is perfectly conformable to the course which this disease observed in Pennsylvania and New York, as well as in Spain. All the histories of this disease agree in stating, that as the winter approached, not only the seizures were more rare, but that those who were taken ill had it in an extremely mild form. And on this point I beg to refer, not only to the American authors, but to the admirable work of Don Manuel de Arejula on the yellow fever which prevailed in various parts of the south of Spain, in the years 1800, 1801, 1803, 1804; particularly to page 337 of this work, where he remarks, that it proved uniformly to be a signal of the approaching disappearances of that epidemic when it began to remit, thereby becoming less dangerous.

It is ascertained by the most ample historical evidence, both civil and medical, that there are certain contagious epidemics which, in given temperatures of the air, not only entirely lose their malignity, but in a very short time even their existence. The proofs of this with regard to the plague are innumerable; for it appears from all the records of that disease, that it has never existed cither in a very hot or a very cold climate; and that in those climates which are susceptible of it, it prevails only at those seasons in which the range of the thermometer is from 50° to 75°. In England it always arose towards the end of summer, was at its height in September, declined in October, and died away in winter. It is equally well ascertained with regard to the yellow fever, that it cannot prevail except within the tropics, or in those seasons of the year in temperate climates in which the heat rises to the tropical height, that is, from 75° to 90°. The facts on this subject, both in North America and in Spain, are so numerous and undeniable, as neither to be resisted nor contested by any candid mind; and the evidence of its spreading by intercourse and contact is equally strong. This is what your anonymous correspondent calls theory and prejudice; as if any thing but the blindest theory and prejudice could lead any one to controvert such established facts and observations, which he does not only without evidence, but in the face of all evidence. The admission of such a theory may be productive of the most dreadful

consequences to society, and actually was so at Gibraltar in the year 1804, in consequence of the governor not being aware of its contagious nature; in which he was farther thrown off his guard by the gentleman, (in other respects of a most respectable character), then at the head of the medical department of the army, declaring as his opinion that it was not infectious. As this most pernicious doctrine is maintained by your correspondent with such an imposing tone of confidence as can hardly fail to mislead some of your readers, I need make no apology to you for availing myself of your widely diffused Journal to counteract an error so pregnant with danger to society, while I at the same time claim your indulgence in affording me the means of vindicating my own character.

Royal Naval Hospital, Plymouth, 31st March 1811.

P. S. I may mention as a farther proof of the preceding observation, that in the end of October last, the yellow fever actually made its appearance in Gibraltar; but by timely means of prevention, and the susceptible season passing over, it became in mediately extinct.

VI.

A Case of Purulent Ophthalmia. By W. D. Surgeon, R. N.

JOHN

OHN STEPHENS, seaman, æt. 23, at Madeira, June 3, 1810, came with an inflammation of the conjunctive membrane of the left eye, tumefaction of the palpebræ, and purulent discharge; no increase of pain from the admission of light; the tunica very vascular; no headach, febrile, or symptomatic affection.

V. S. ad. 3x.

Aq. litharg. acet. comp. gtt. xx.

Aq. font. 3viij.

M. pro lotione. The eye covered to exclude the light as in other cases; belly regular.

4th.-No diminution or increase of vascularity; purulent discharge increased; slight headach.

B. Cal. gr. v.

Mist. magn. vitr. Donec alvus copiose respond. 5th.-The cathartic operated briskly; headach removed; the

eye more inflamed, and great discharge; skin and pulse natural. Rept. med. cath.-Lotio ut ante utend.

6th.-Eye less painful; no return of headach; inflammation slightly diminished; the eyelids are glued so firmly together in the morning, although they were wet during the night, as with difficulty to be separated. Several stools yesterday, and two today. Scarified the tunica conjunctiva.

R Sal nitri, gr. xij.
Aq. iss.

M. 4ter in die sumend. Rept. lotio.

7th. A greater discharge of pus this morning, particularly from the inner canthus; the carunculæ lachrymales enlarged. Cal. gr. iij.

Mist. magn. vitr.

Foment aq. calid. sæpius. Four stools.

Sth. The eye feels as if small particles of sand were between the tarsus; painful irritation and increased secretion of tears on the least motion of the globe of the eye. Rept. foment. The discharge not so thick,

9th. The tunic more turgid, and of a less bright colour; purulent discharge the same. Ungt. hyd. nit. one part, ungt. ceræ seven parts. M. bis de die pencillo applicand. Appl. empl. canth. pone aur. sinist.

10th.-Eye looks considerably better. Rept. ungt. lotio zinc

vitr.

11th.—Inflammation and purulency diminished. Rept. 12th. The same.

16th. Considerable amendment. Rept.

17th. Very little redness and turgidity; no sensation of extraneous particles; discharge less, thinner, and less purulent, Rept. appl.

18th. Tumid caruncle and palpebræ subsided; very little discharge. Rept.

19th. Eye looks nearly well. Rept.

20th.-No discharge. 21st.-Very well. 24th.-Quite well for duty.

My intention of communicating this case is not to controvert the opinion of the cause of this disease, entertained by many skilful and experienced practitioners, at the same time it may elucidate such an occurrence without any particular exciting cause. This case happened at a period when ophthalmia was epidemic in the ship, and not one had any resemblance in character or symptoms to the above submitted for your perusal. The predisponent cause of the general affection alluded to, as far as I could