Historical and statistical sketch of the progress of epidemic fever in Glasgow during the year 1847 / by R.S. Orr.

Date:
[1848]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Historical and statistical sketch of the progress of epidemic fever in Glasgow during the year 1847 / by R.S. Orr. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    HIST OBJ CAL AND STATISTICAL SKETCH OF THE PROGRESS OF EPIDEMIC FEVER IN GLASGOW DURING THE YEAR 1847. By R. S. ORR, M. D. Lately Superintendent of the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow. From the Edm. Med. and Surg. Journal, No. 175. All are aware that fever has prevailed, not only in Glasgow, but also generally throughout the country during the past year, to an extent which has been truly fearful, and which is well cal- culated to awaken the greatest anxiety in the minds of those who have escaped its ravages. All possess some general knowledge of a few of the leading facts connected with this subject, but few are acquainted with the minutiae. They may have read the news- paper notices, and glanced at the figures and statements there exhibited; and there also they may have observed from time to time recorded the deaths from “ Fever,” from “ Typhus,” from “ Malignant Fever,” of those in the upper and middle ranks with whose names they may be familiar, and of none more frequently than the hard-worked and often ill-remunerated members of our own profession. They can, however, form no idea of the hun- dreds of the poor and destitute who have, during the past year, paid the last penalty to the epidemic visitor which has so recently decimated their numbers, and reduced many of the survivors to a state of the greatest poverty and helplessness. They can form but a small estimate of the labours of those who have been em- ployed in procuring the necessary accommodation for the thou- sands afflicted with the malady, and of the fatigues of those who have watched over and attended to their numerous wants. It is with the view of attempting a short sketch of the history and progress of the epidemic of the last year that I now write. Doubtless there are others more competent to the undertaking. But as the position I so recently held in the Royal Infirmary of Glas- gow gave me many opportunities of watching the advance of the epidemic during the greater part of its progress; and as, in the way of duty, my attention was constantly called to the subject, and directed to the means which were employed for staying its course, or alleviating the sufferings of those who felt its ravages,— 1 trust that those who take the trouble to read the following re- marks, will believe, that they are dictated by a wish to furnish correct data from which some knowledge of the extent and preva-