A brief history of epidemic and pestilential diseases: with the principal phenomena of the physical world, which precede and accompany them, and observations deduced from the facts stated ; in two volumes (Volume 2).

  • Webster, Noah, 1758-1843.
Date:
1799
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A brief history of epidemic and pestilential diseases: with the principal phenomena of the physical world, which precede and accompany them, and observations deduced from the facts stated ; in two volumes (Volume 2). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    ficknefs over the world, in which the fira of the earth has exhib- ited the moft numerous and violent efFefls. Witnefs the period from 1631 to 1637, when the three moft noted volcanoes dif- charged immenfe quantities of fire and lava; and fevere pefti- lence extended over all Europe and America. A fimilar re-' mark may be made concerning the period of the laft univerfal peftilence in Europe from 1663 ^° 1666—alfo from 1691 to 1695—from 1727 to 30—1759 to 1764—1769 to 1772— 1774 to 1777—1783 to 1786—and concerning fome fhorter periods, all of which produced epidemics in both hemifpheres. Slighter eruptions and earthquakes, which are almoft annual, feem to have lefs efFed. The fire of the globe is in perpetuaV motion or aftion, and to this great agent, philofophers are agreed, are to be afcribed the changes of feafons, and the generation of rain, hail and fnow. Its operations however are not all of them vifible, nor even perceptible, until they appear by their efFefls. It is probable that the invifibk operations of the eledrical fluid produce more effects than thofe which are feen. Indeed, we may queftion whether moft of the vifible phenomena of that prirrciple, are not mere effeEis of that action which influences the vegetable and animal world. It is probable to me that neither feafons, earthquakes, nor volcanic eruptions, are the caufes of the principal derangements we behold in animal and vegetable life, but are themfelves the effeSis of thofe motions and invifible operations which afFeft mankind. Hence catarrh and other epi- demics often appear, before the vifible phenomena of eruptions and earthquakes. P. S. After this work was prepared for the prefs, I was fa- yored by Dr. Mitchill, with fome extracfls from a paper of Mr. Holm, a Swede, on the fubjeft of a volcanic eruption in Ice- land, in 1783, by which it appears that the atmofphere is ren- dered peftilential by difcharges of fire and lava from the earth. This efl'eft is fuppofed to be wrought by a combination of the feptous and oxygenous parts, and may confirm and improve Dr. i^/Iitchill's theory of peftilential air.