Account of an epidemic fever, which occurred at Gibraltar, in the years 1804, 1810, and 1813 : taken from official documents, military and medical, and from the communications of Joseph D.A. Gilpin, M.D., deputy inspector of hospitals.

  • Medical and Chirurgical Society of London.
Date:
1814
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Account of an epidemic fever, which occurred at Gibraltar, in the years 1804, 1810, and 1813 : taken from official documents, military and medical, and from the communications of Joseph D.A. Gilpin, M.D., deputy inspector of hospitals. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    2S struggle against a disease so frequently rapid and fatal in its termination. I cannot say, however, that I saw many cases here in which I would have recommended the cold affusion. Neither the state of the pulse, nor the hea.t of the body, were such as, in my opinion, to warrant the application of it. I preferred, there- fore, repeated tepid spungings with vinegar and water. Children, indeed, were much benefited by the cold affusions. That the disease in question is contagious, (or more properly speaking, perhaps, infectious^ as actual contact does not appear to be necessary to its transmission) I entertain not the least doubt, though an opposite opinion has been held by some highly respectable medical characters. I have witnessed both abroad and in this garrison too many melancholy instances of the disease being communicable from one person to another. At Martinique, in the year 1793, we suffered dread- fully from the ravages of a fever, in every respect similar to that which lately appeared here, and in numberless instances its infectious nature was as- certained by its attacking those who were in at- tendance on the sick; and it is a melancholy truth, that very few of the medical officers survived the pestilential duty in which we were employed. But as in this statement I am only called upon to give my own opinion, I do not think it necessary to combat furtlier the Opinions of others. I shall