The Sun.
London, England, 1818-12-09 00:00:00

LITERARY REVIEW.

A SUCCINCT ACCOUNT of the CONTAGIOUS FEVER
..f THIS couyntv, as exemplified in the Epidemic now
prevailing in London, with the appropriate Method of
Treatment as practised in the House of Recovery. To
which are added, OBSERVATIONS on the NATURE and
PROPERTIES of CONTAGION, tending to correct the
Popular Notions on this Subject, and pointing out the
Means of Prevention. By Thomas BArnsrM, M.D. F.L.S.
i'hysician to the Public Dispensary, and Consulting Physi-
cian to the Fever Institution in London, &c. &c.

This, is a work which is, on every account, cal

ciliated to excite attention. The topic is, indeed,
at all times extremely important, but is at this

1-notuctit rendered peculiarly interesting by. the
alarming epidemic which still exists in the me-
tropolis, and many of our large provincial towns;
and no person can be better qualified than Dr.
BATEMAN to make a report of it ; because he has
held. for fourteen years the office of sole medical.
snperintendant of the House of Recovery for the
Reception of Fever Patients. Besides the mo-
tives of a more obvious nature which might na-
turally be Supposed to influence Dr. 8., in wish-
ing to leave an authentic history of a disease with
which he has had so many opportunities of be-
coming thoroughly acquainted, be observes,
" that it appears to him to be worthy of record,
as it exhibits very distinctly a specimen of the
common form, and of the common varieties,
which the infectious fever has assumed in this
country for many years past ; and which is likely
to ,continue, under our improved and improving
system of domestic economy, to be the ordinary
fever of our island."—The theory implied in this
sentence, that the infectious levees which have
at various successive periods invaded the inhabi-

tants of this country have been really identical,
and that the differences observed in their symy-
-toms and their degrees of virulence have depended
on the changes in our habits and manners, and
on the means of prevention or cure which have
been adopted, is afterwards more lolly main-
tained and developed.
Pr. Bateman begins by noticing the connexion
bet Ween scarcity of food and epidemic fever ;
which appears to be so uniform, th3t we are justi-
fied in regarding the former as the cause of the
latter. That fever is not generated by the mere

accumulation of the putrid effluvia from decom-
posed animal matter, appears to be proved by the

most decisive evidence though, at the same time,
this is probably to be regarded as a powerful cir-
cumstance in multiplying and fostering it when
once produced. And he observes, " The morbid
and even natural effluvia of the living body,when
allowed to accumulate by want of cleanliness
and air, are unquestionably common sources of
fever. "—Whence the disease, once generated,
is extensively propagated by the accessary cir-
cumstances, want of personal and domestic clean-
liness, and crowded habitations without propel.
ventilation.

It would appear that the most constant and
characteristic symptoms in bimple typhus, are a
general prostration of strength, attended with
pains in the head, and still more in the limbs and
back. Under all its modifications, Dr. B. ob-
serves, the skin remains dry ; and " no distinct
humidity" is perceptible at the decline of the dis-
ease in a large majority of the cases ; in 19 only
out of 678, did any thing appear like a critical
dialphoresis, that is, where the symptoms imme-
diately subsided on the occurrence of the per-
spiration. Witl► respect to the heat of tl►e hotly
in typhus, we are informed, that it was seldom
found to he increased beyond the ordinary stan-
dard of health, except in the febricula of chil-
dren, a part which would appear to be much at
variance with the statements of Dr. Currie, who
regarded the increase of temperature almost as
the essence of the febrile action and the reduc-
tion of this morbid temperature as the grand in-
dication of cure, which is to supersede almost
every other remedy. Dr. Bateman expressly in-
forms us, that in a very great majority of the
cases which have been under his care, the heat
has seldom exceeded 99 or 100 degrees.

The typhus fever, in this simple form, with
which nearly two-thirds of the patients under
Dr. B.'s care, during the present epidemic, have
been affected, is not regarded as a dangerous
disease ; because? by simple treatment and re-
moval of the extraneous circumstances, which are
unfavourable to the re-establishment of health,
the powers of the constitution appear to be ge-
nerally sufficient to effect a cure; but the result
is very different in the complicated typhus. This
second variety of the disease, which fell under
Dr. Batemates inspection, " approximates very
closely to the s(ow nervous fever, so accurately
depicted by Dr. Iluxham ; a fever which mani-
festly differs from the putrid pestilential fever de-
scribed by the same able author, only in the less
violence of its symptoms, and i:s more protract-
ed course."- It is s:ated that,'during the first 10
days of the complaint, the symptoms were not
materially different, in the cases which afterwards
became of the kind that is placed in' this Second
Class, from those of the First. At this period an
increase of are general diminution of the vital
'powers was very perceptible ; and of all those
which have usually been regarded as indications
of a deranged condition ot the nervous functions;
hot it wouldappearthat the putrid or malignant
symptoms, as they ha't'e been commonly styled,
scarcely ever occurred ii► the I-loose of Recovery.
Among 678 patients, two only had extensive
ecchymnies, or livid blotches•; but even here the
state was rather indicative of a' failure in the
power.; of the circulating system, alai-, of any
change ni the nature of the constituents of the
body, or any tendency to their decomposition or
putrefaction. This section concludes with some
curious documents respecting the average morta7
lity of the typhus fever, which has been (beyond
all doubt) greatly diminished in this country
within the 14st century ; but it is not easy to
form any correct estimate on this point.

The Section on the method of ireatutent occu-
pies nearly one-third of the volume, and cannot
be studied with too much' attention. Notwith-
standing the great reform that has taken place
since the _errors of the Immoralists, and the still
more fatal practices of tl►e Brunonians, Dr. Bate-

LONDON JOURNALS.

[FRONI THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.]

[Morning Herald.]

THE KING'S JEWELS.—We are authorised to
state, that the only Jewels of his Majesty which
are now missing are his Star and Garter. The
former was very splendid, being studded all over
with diamonds ; and the buckle of the Garter was
also richly studded in the same manner. Their
value is estimated at between six and seven thou-
sand pounds. A close search has been made for
these jewels, and though it has not yet been at-
tended with the desired result, yet no apprehen-
sion is entertained of their having been irrecover-
ably lost. It is generally believed among the Offi-
cers of his Majesty's Household, that they have
been deposited in some place of secret safety by
the King himself.