8vv$if UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. ► . . FOUNDED 1836 WASHINGTON, D. C. Bl9574 REPORT OF THE Medical Committee. REPORT OF THE C O M M ITTE E, APPOINTED BY THE- dical' Society, OF THE STATE OF NEW-YORK, TO FNQUIRE INTO THE SYMPTOMS, ORIGIN, CAUSE, AND PREVENTION OF THE ^pestilential Sisease, THAT PREVAILED IN NBW-YORK DURING THE SUMMER AND AUTUMN OF THE YEAR tif'lCl FRO.If THE QTFICL OF THE DAILY AD7T.RTISZP, No. ts, Pine Su.'ct, New-York, i ~ v. \ Medical Society, i$th November, 1798. RESOLVED, THAT a Committee of three Members be ap- pointed by ballot to enquire into the origin, caufes, and prevention of the late Epidemic, and ^report to the Society in writing, the refult of fuch enquiry— And that Dodors TILLARY, RODGERS, and MITCHELL, be a committee for the above pur- pofe. Medical Society, December 31, 1798. RESOLVED, That the Report of the Committee appointed to enquire into the origin [and prevention of the late Epidemic, be received, and that the fame be printed at the expenfe of this Society. JOHN ONDERDONK, Secretary. Sfcbertisemcnt. IT seems proper to apprise those who may take the trouble of reading the following report, that it origi- nated in a communication from the Mayor of this city, addressed to the Medical Society of the state of New- 0 'ork, about a month ago, expressing a wish from the Corporation, that an enquiry into the origin and pre- vention of the Yellow Fever, might be attempted by that body. A Comm'tlee for that purpose was accordingly appointed, but it was not within the design of the l\ledicaI 'Society, or contemplation of the Com- mittee, io enter at large upon the nature of the Epi- demic. To the Medical Society, this was not neces- sary, and to the public, for whose benefit it was ulti- mately intended, tJyey conceived it could not be ufeful. // was indeed within the wish, but they fear beyond the ability of the Committee, to convey io their fellow citizens, some thoughts which might enable idem to form a tolerably rational idea of the manner of its origin, and particularly of the nature of that age::t, which, in their opinion, every where produces it.— In pointing out the sources of its existence in our city, the Committee arc aware, that they differ in opinion cm this topic with some respectable cbaraciers, and they are convinced, that a defied in the enumeration, as well as in the remedies f/oposed, will probably occur to seme more observant citiz.as. The Committee cannot help anticipating this objec- tion, by saying for themselves, ibat they conceived it would have Ik en equally tedious and uninteresting, to enumerate all the minuted of bid policy and worse practice, which arc permitted to operate in our city in this re-peel. They proposed nothing further than an outline of the abuse of privileges, which decision, tempered by discretion, might easily and effectually fill up ; they had neither time nor inclination for more ; as it is now presented to the public, it was read before the Medical Society, who direcled that it should be published at their txpc/icc. We shall offer nothing further in its vindication/, but this—That how defective soever it may appear to the eye of discernment, we can confidently say, that we have allowed it to contain nothing but what we believe to be true, and that the motive for its publication will he found only in the hope of its being ufeful. This the Co?n?nittee trust, will shield them from se- vere criticism, and guard them from undue censure. JAMES TILLART. JOHN R. B. RODGERS. SAMUEL L. MITCHELL. New-York, Dec. 7 3*> ^S3- j REPORT 09 THE COMMITTEE, fcf* J[* ROM the hiftory <^ the City of New-York, as well as from profeffiMal obfervation in it, the Committee know that it has at different times, fince its firfl fettlement, be$ afflicted by mortal diftem- pers; rarely, howeve* had they aftumed fuch ma- lignity as has been experienced fince the year one thoufand feven hundred and ninety-one. It was in the fumnter of that year, that a difeafe in no feature efTenti^Jty different from the Epidemic of the laft feafon, caffied of more than thirty perfons within a fmall dhtance' of Burling's-Slip, and that within the (hcrt period of 3. weeks. On that fad ( <*) occafion Gen. Malcom and feveral other valuable citizens, were among its firft victims ; but as yet the Phyficians of New-York had not ventured to call it by the formidable name of yellow-fever ; nor had public alarm ariien to fuch a pitch, as to occafion much fpeculation, either as to its nature, or origin. Unhapily, however, for our city, this flight appearance of Malignant Fever of 1791, has been followed by other and far more dreadful vifitations, cutting off numbers of our citizens between the months of June and November. Since the year 1791, the Committee iind, that the Corporation of this city have caufed fome falutary, though partial, regulations to be enacted, but the evil neverthelefs has rapidly increafed—infomuch, that in the year 1798 the diftemper became fo prevalent, as to caufe two-thirds of the inhabitants to abandon their homes and feek fafety and fhelter in the furrounding coun- try.—Of thofe who rerrMiped, Two Thoufand died between the lit day of*&guit and the ill day of November. »■ .' * This difeafe, fo terrijpfe in its nature and fo fatal in its effects, ailumed a great variety of appearance. The Committee think it %eign to the objects of their appointment, or at lefc unneceffary, to men- tion the multiform and frightful fhapes which, un- der different circumflances, it took on. It will probably be thought fuflwaent on this part of the iubject to fay (what muchjpiaice and many valu- able communicatifns from fome of the molt refpec- table medical characters in rhfs city abundantly au- thorize), that it often attacked under the mild and unalarming guife of slight catarrh, or com- mon cold, but in its dreadful- progrefs exhibited (7 ) along with the ordinary fymptoms of increafed, or irregular actions, bleedings from various parts of the body—abscesses—buboes or glandular SWELLINGS--BLACK VOMITINGS--CONVULSIONS, and MORTIFICATIONS. The Committee difmifs this painful part of their report, and proceed to make forL.-j obkrvations on the ORIGIN of the DISTEMPER. In a great and populous city, where mortality has kept awful proportion with numbers, fuch a difeafe could not long fail to intereft the feelings and awaken the exertions of the Magiftracy, as well as the people, to a very ferious enquiry, In a commercial city too, it was natural to fuppofe, be- caufe it has not been thought unreasonable to believe that it might be imported from fome foreign place.: —Accordingly (lories were invented and circulated with great diligence, that the feeds of this dreadful diftemper, imported in tne fir ft inftance, from fo- reign mores, had been landed among us, and that when the prefent quantitp was exhaufted, all would be well again, provided vejfels from ports beyond the feas were diligently ujg||£ed, to preveut the intro- ~ duttion of more. Uptf this, popular notion of thing?, the Legiflature enajed J^ws to prevent the intro- duction of infe&loujdijtempers into the State. But thoughlh JHelth-OfficeAhe Pilots, and the Wardens S W j3**t, Tcrupoloufly executed their refitaj^ive dyEsmd trulls, ftill the diftemper increafe#behind tIRnv As it could never (within the knowledge or belief of the Committee) be tra- ced to atfick perfon actually landed, the favourer* 4» («■) of importation found little difficulty in afcriblng it to bags of coffee, bales of cotton, chefts of clothes, or fomething of this fort. The Committee having been conftantly on the fpot, and fharing by common intereft, as well as by profeflional duty, in the general folicitude on this fubject, have been at a confiderable degree of pains, to ascertain whether there was a foundation in fact, that this difeafe had been in any irfiar.cc, fo imported into our city. UnbiafTed by any private intereft, or profeflional theories, and pledged by the- beft fecurities which they can offer, that of their in- tegrity and their honour, for a faithful report, as Jar as their judgment and information extend1, they have no hefitation in declaring their belief, that thefe ftcries were founded in mifreprefentatiort, and foftered by prejudice. The Committee, how- ever, knowing that bold afferticns had been made, refpecting the ill condition of the fhip Olive, and her cargo, of the floop Iris, and one of her crew, John Willfon, and of the fchooner Fox, (all thefe veffels being from the Weft-Indies) were extremely anxious to inform themfelves on this point. The refult of their enquiries Jftis been, that the allega- tions which have, in thefe inftances, been hazarded, fpring, either from fourcesj|f undifcerning credu- lity—from motives of felfMpreft—or, from prin- ciples of moral turpitude V^&id they are happy to add, that the proof of thftttter does not reft on idle hearfay—gopular cljrruBr—or, weak fabrica- tion : Tiisy h*broughtforibr| the moft folemn evidences which were wWinliefr ability to pro- cure, or their power to ilbftAitiate, «o*tained in the feveral Affidavits No. i, £%, 4, c. 'fhe Com- mittee cannot quit this part of the fubjed, without offering one or two additional obfervations. We. C 9l would remark then, that the corruption of the pc- rifhable materials of cargoes, the intemperanceand fikhinefs of the crews, are the chief of thofe prolific caufes of Malignant Fevers which are generated on board veffels ; and that the locality of the diftem- per is as clearly' to be traced in them, as in a dirty houfe, crouded jail, or other filthy pjace ; and t\\i cafes, and the confequences too, run parallel, in al- moft every particular. Seafaring men do not get their ficknefs in the Weft-Indies, by communication with the fick on fhore; or, in other words, from con- tagion received from deceafed perfons ; but aimoft al- ways from intemperance in eating and drinking, expofure to, and fleeping in the night air, (that is, dews impregnated with peftikntial matter) in coves and marfhy grounds, while engaged in getting wood, water, produce, &c. The matter of face, appears to us* to be Amply this— The atmofphere of thofe unhealthy places in the Weft-Indies, (to the effects of which leamen who voyage to thefe Iflands muft be often expofed ■) ails upon them juft in the fame manner, though perhaps, in general more powerfully, that the air of the city of New-York, in certain feafons and in particular fitua- tions, operates upon frefh healthy perfons coming from the country. A vapour rifen from the earth, furrounds them, and this vapour or poifon which exhales from common putrefcent matter, (aided, doubtlefs, in many, inftances, by feme peculiar properties of the air, and predifpofition of ha- bit,) is frequently! of a nature fo fubtile and deleterious, as to penetrate to the very brain and vitals, and caufe fudden death. But a fpe- dfically contagious matter as fuch, immediately de- • C ™ ) rived from the bodies of the fick, and capable of communicating invariably thefame difeafe, as in the fmall pocks, we believe, has nothing to do in this cafe. When, indeed, heat and moifture are per- mitted to aa jointly upon the matter of perfpiration which is continually exhaling from the furface of a difeafed body, and is allowed to adhere to clothing, and be pentup with other excretions in the factitious confined atmofphere of fuch perfons, without the grand correctives of wafhing, and ventilation being made ufe of, peflilcnce may certainly be produced ;— and in this manner we know it is frequently pro- duced among the poorer manufaclorers in different parts of Europe, and may be fo produced in any country among dirty houfkeepers—badly regulated poor-houfes—confined jails, and filthy {hips, &c. This is the molt intelligible idea which we can con- vey, whereby to illuftrate the fallacy of thofe notions which afcribe peftilential difeafes to a fpccific con- tagion, and if the Committee did not deem it ufelefs to dwell longer on this branch of the enquiry, they could adduce many weighty fa£ls and high autho- rities, to eftablifh the opinions, and confirm the diitinclions here contended for. But notwithftanding all that has been faid, the belief of a fpccific contagion , in its nature capable of importation and exportation, "continues to form a part of the Medical Creed of fome refpectable Phyficians, and what the Committee confiders of infinitely greater confequence, continues to operate the moft ferious mifchief in many parts of the world, as well as in our own country. The Committee take occafion, at this place frankly to acknowledge that they do not under- ftand what is meant by a fpecific contagion, when (») the term is applied to exprefs an agent capable of producing yellow fever ; but they are at no lofs to comprehend how difeafe of the worft fort can be engendered, by heat and moifkure acling upon dead animal and vegetable matter; and they have the moft luminous teftimony, that peflilential mat- ter thus produced, is often of a nature fuffici- ently powerful to derange all the animal function's, and deftroy all the vital energies. There is no truth which our minds are capable of embracing, more certain to us than this—That Yellow Fever may be produced in any country by peflilential ef- fluvia, without receiving an attom from a perfon fick of a fimilar difeafe : And that from the moft accurate refearches which they have been able to make, they think themfelves warranted in faying that the difeafe called Yellow Fever may be pro- duced on fhore and in this city, as readily as in the Wcfl Indies or on Jhip-board ; and that this deftroy- ing though fecret agent is none other than pefli- lential vapours. They think moreover that it is in place here to declare, as the refuk of their own experience, that the Yellow Fever is not a con- tagious or catching difeafe, in the popular and common acceptation of the phrafe ; that it is not communicable from perfon to perfon in a pure at- mofpberc, but fpreads only in an air loaded and con- taminated by putrid exhalations. If this be the fact, (and that it is fo there remains on our minds no doubt) the advocates for importa- tion will agree with the favourers of local origin in the adoption of adequate regulations on fhore, let them differ e.ver ib widely upon the fpeculative queftion. ( 12 ) I:c all everts, it happily turns out that the means neceffary in the opinion of one party to hinder the fpread of Yellow fever imported, exactly coincides with thofe recommended by their oppo- nents for the prevention of its domejlic manufacture. That this diftemper is home-bred or of local ori- gin, we poffefs fuch a flood of evidence as, in the judgment of the Committee, puts the matter be- yond the limits of conjecture. From inveftigations lately made by the Com- mittee, as w»ll as by other phyficians, it appears that this feafon there have been feveral local centres ' ofpefiilence in New-York, the moft remarkable and offenfive of which, as far as they have been able to trace, were thofe of Lynch and Stoughton's wharf, Pine Street docks, Burling Slip fewer, ^Appendix l\o. 6 and 7] James and Catherine Street flips, and the \App.ndi:: No. 7] nuifance yard, near Eaft Rutger's Street. Thefe firuations, and perhaps fome others, were evidently rendered fickly by noxious exhalations, produced in each of them in- dependently of foreign intercourse, or of any com- munication with each other. In like manner each ftore or cellar containing fpoiled beef, pork fifh, or other fubftance, evolving putrefcent matter, was a fmaller centre of peftilence; and doubtlefs there werebefides thefe, other receptacles of filth which furnifhed copious macerials for fwelling the vol- ume of peflilential air. But quitting thefe partial though productive corners where peftilence cccafionally inhabits, let us turn our thoughts and our eyes for a moment, to thofe great and permanent fources where it dcli"b/s t% ( '3 ) The moft prominent, extenfive, and as we con- ceive the moft operative, in this difgufting group, is the greater part of the new made grounds on the margin of the Eafi River. It is neither our bufi- nefs or our inclination to enquire into the munici- pal policy, whence originated the bufinefs of lot- making and dock-making, but we cannot refrain from faying, that in our opinion, it is of all other3, the molt fruitful nurfery of peftilential difeafes. If we except a confiderable part of Pearl-ftreet, which was made in early times, out of the high grounds, dug down to level the ftreet, we believe we fhall be fully warranted in faying, that a vaft proportion of Water and Front-ftreets, have been made out of the moft exceptionable materials: Many, very many of the lots, bulk heads and wharves have been filled up by contracl or job ; and that too at thofe dull feafons and vacant hours, when the labourer could employ himfelf no other way. A dreadful proportion therefore, of b >nes, oylter-fhells, wood- fhavings, ftreet-fcrapings, offals, and in fhort every thing elfe, fave good earth, gravel or fand, have been abundantly employed for this purpofe. Hence it is, that in numerous inftances, inftead of making good grounds and building tcnantable cel- lars, they have fenced off the water and conftructed quagmires. Nearly allied to this firft fource of dif- eafe, prefents itfelf in order, and as we conceive in ftrength, certain fewers, flips and docks ; thefe, by becoming receptacles of dead animal and vegetable natter, when expofed to the agency of heat, never fail to produce noxious effluvia. From the decompo- fition which takes place among thefe vile materi- als, a peftiferous air is extricated which contami- nates the atmofpherc, and by that means becomes one of the moft influential caufes in thefpread of ( 14 ) peftilential difeafes. The records of many ages, and the authority of many phyficians and philofo- phers, furnifh abundant testimony to the matter 01 fact on this fubject. [See Appendix No. 6 and 7.] Sinks and privies follow in the black catalogue. On this head, the records of the Health-Office of 1798, contain representations to the Police, that the fluid part of theexcrement in finks,had broken thro' their mounds into the neighbouring cellars and kitch- ens, and into adjoining pumps and cifterns, emit- ting into the furrounding air, the moft noifome exhalations. It is a fact, within our own knowledge, that fome of the yards along the eaft river, and on the water lots too, filled in originally with rotten materials, fink after fink has been fo frequently dug, that it is a bufmefs of fome difficulty to find a frefh fpot of ground in the yard, large enough for a new one ; wherever the digger introduces his fpade, he plunges into an old jakes.-^Confider fellow-citi- zens, (for it is cf great importance both to your comfort and your health)-—Confider the enormous growth of this evil.—Suppoie all the dwelling-houfes of this city were demolifhed, and the temples of Closscina alone left ftanding, what a fpectacle would it exhibit? Reflect at the fame time, that the evil isnotinany degree diminifhed becaufe the little houfes are hidden, for fecrecy and concealment do not leffen the mifchief at all. Such a quantity of land, expofingfuch afurface to an Auguft and September fun, is enough, one would think of itfelf, to poifon our belt enjoyments if not to deftroy our lives. ( '5 ) Beef and Pork corrupting in barrels—-funking glides, and putrid Fifh, are each of them, very ca- pable of becoming a center of noxious exhalations, and we have at this moment before us, very fatif- factory proof, that during the late Epidemic, they proved fatal to the lives of many valuable citizens —to fay nothing of their agency in enlarging the extent of an unwholefome atmofphere. The irregular and flovenly mode of cleaning back-yards, cellars, &c. and the injudicioufly heap- ing together, the various fubftances thus collected, with the filth of the flreets, and expofing them in thickly inhabited parts of the city, to wait the tardy removal of a Scavenger, has occafioned univerfal complaining, difguft, and in fome inflances, much ficknefs. The Committee mention with regret, but without any defign of imputing blame to the IJealth-Commiflioners, that the nuifanceyard which they eftablifhed near the fhip yards, for the pin pole of collecting all the putrid refufe ofdomeftic manufac- ture, became a neighbourhood as remarkable for its mortality during the ficknefs as any part of the city ; and, what is well worthy of particular no- tice, that this happened in a place recently fettled, where the ground is clean, and the population net crouded, - The daily accumulation of dead bodies in bu- rial grounds within the city, we art fully perfuaded, is another fource of noxious vapours. We know too, that this is touching upon a fubject where, the affections and the prejudices of maukind, are ex- tremely interefted. The committee, however., think from the matureft confederation cf duty and conviction, and fupported by the hiftory of other countries, which have feverely fuffered by the foffy C 16) Df allowing fepulture within the city, that this practice ought to be ranked as no trifling agent in the produftion of difeafe.—[Appendix, No. 9.] Among other very pernicious modes of cultivat- ing water lots, they rank that of building Jlore- houfes, and platforms in front of Jlores and dwelling- houfes, fupported upon piles, not the leaft injurious to health. Equally pernicious with this practice is that of digging cellars on new grounds during the warmfea- fon, which the Committee confider as plunging into hot beds of putrefcence, that cannot fail to contami- nate the furrounding air, and be of itfelf a fource of local origin for the production of peftilential Fe- ver. The municipal laws, which at prefent exlft for the regulation of our public markets are, in the opinion of the Committee, extremely defective.— And the contiguity of the ferry to the latgeft and moft frequented market in our city, is in their efti- mation liable to weighty objections. The Committee now approach thai part of their prospectus which they deem all-important, (viz. J THE PREVENTION of the DISEASE. Here we cannot refiit exclaiming in the animat- ed language of a devout poet—- O, that the warn- ing: voice of him who faw the Apocalyphs," mi been made for carrying them into perfect effect— That no ftores have been erected for the fafe- keeping of fuch articles as may arrive in a damaged condition ; and that the hofpital for the reception of the fick has been fluctuating from one place to another—from Governor's to Bedlow's Ifland, and from thence to Bellevue. The Committee are of opinion in order to guard the public health, and at the fame time to preferve the property of indi- viduals, for it is as neceffary to protect our citizens from the effects of decaying merchandize as from difeafed perfons—that Bedlow's Ifland fhould be purchafed, or if military eftablifhments forbid this, a portion of the eaftern fhore of Staten Ifland may be procured, on which a Lazaretto, as well as fuita- ble ftores fhould be built, and every other conveni- C is-) •ncy prepared for conducting with precifion and ffecl the whole duties of the Health Office. Such an eftablifhment as the above, we believe would entirely fupercede the neceflity (which our neighbours it feems contemplate) of applying to the General Government for a law which would operate as an interdiction of commerce during a confiderable part of the year ; an interdiction, in the judgment of the Committee, which, to fay nothing of its ruinous confequences to trade, would be ufelefs to the end intended, and in the opinion of the Committee altogether unneceffary. The means of prevention, which are of domeftic fort, we now proceed to examine, t and this wefhcdl at- tempt as concifely as poffible, in the order in which we confidered them, as sources of local ori- gin of disease. ^ The object that firft prefents itfelf in this re- view is the extention of the city by the .formation of new flreets on both rivers, and the practice of docking-out. To prevent the increafe of this evil, for it will take a longtime to remedy it, no new ftreet fhould be laid out on the Eaft or North river, and the bufinefs of farther dock-making-, fhould be dis- continued as foon as poflible ; ail lots on the Eaft and North rivers fhould be raifed without lofs of time, to a level, fomething higher than that of the adjoining ftreets in order to prevent the accumula- tion of filth, and that the water may be entirely drained off. If through a miftaken or avaricious policy, the correftion of this evil is not immediate v iet about, its peimillion will keep alive an ine- ( i9) hauftible agent in the frequent and violent returns of peftilential difeafes, and perhaps in a few years render the whole property of the city of very little value. v What folly—what madnefs is it thus to en- croach upon the water! As if there-.was not land enough made by nature's hand, of pure materials, for flreets, ftores, houfes, and every other conveni- ency which a great and growing city requires. [See Appendix No. 8.] PUBLIC SEWERS. These fhould be fo conflructed as to carry off their contents, by a more confiderable declevity than they do at prefent;—not into Slips at low wa- ter, which, of themfelves, expofe a large furface of mud, intermingled with many vile fubftances, to the action of a vertical fun, but in fuch a manner, as to difcharge all their feculencies, by a greater projec- tion of their mouths, into the river. DOCKS and SLIPS. There fhould be immediately filled up with clean earth and gravel, or fand, as has been repeatedly and forcibly recommended by the Llealth-Commif- lioners, for this moft cogent reafon, that the muddy bottoms may not be left bare at low water. If this meafure fliould be delayed longer than days after the order of the Magiftracy has been iffued for that purpofe, then the work fhould be completed by public authority, and the property of the indivi- dual, made refponfible for the coft. ( 20 ) SINKS and PRIVIES. In order to remedy, in fome degree, the mcon- veniencies, and to prevent, as much as poffible, the fataleffeels of Sinks and Privies, the Committee re- commend, that the whole of their contents be ta^en out of the city in bulk, or by the warn of ftreams running thro' water clofets. and well regulated fewers —Or it may be carried out according to the good old cuftom of this city—/,? tubs, and thrown into the river ! ! !—Or it may annually, when in a fro- zen ft ate, be carried away in the winter months, (ufing lime frequently at other feafons of the year) and difpofed of in fame manner. If fome of thefe modes are not adopted, the confequences will be, whether credited or not, that the citizens, from ufing water for culenary purpofes impregnated with human excrement, will continue to eat, and drink9 and refpire a part of their own excretions. BEEF—PORK—FISH, and HIDES. The Committee are of rpinion, that it could not be very injurious to the interefts or the convenience of merchants, and they are very certain, that it v/ould be prefervative of general health, that no perfon fhould be permitted to ftore Beef, Pork, or Fifh, from the day of to in the thickly inhabited parts of the city, and that all articles of thofe kinds (and the interdiction, in their opinion, fhould extend to Hides), fhould be kept into public ftore-houfes, to be provided in con- venient and fafe places for their reception.__Appen- dix 9. ( *' ) BURYING GROUNDS. Those caverns of putrefying mortality, fhould no longer be permitted to remain within the city, but removed, as foon as pofkble, to a fuitable dif- tance from it. * In the opinion of the Committee, this relict of long indulged fuperftition, within the Kmits of the city, fhould be di'ufed, and abfolutely forbidden by law, and fevcre penalty incurred for every violation of it. CELLARS—KITCHENS, and YARDS. Fr.om long obfervance, the Committee think, that more adequate municipal regulations ought to be enacted, and rigidly enforced, to compel Houfe- keepers to remove every fpecies of filthy do- meftic manufacture, from their cellars, kitchens, and'yards, every day from the ift of June to the lit of November, and during the reft of the year, at leaft twice weekly—That a fuitable number of Scavengers be appointed to remove thefe matters, and that this duty fhould performed with particular punctuality. It will be an object of fome conV- quence for the Magiftracy, as well as of great ad- vantage to the citizens, to have the fupernci?! nui- fances which are ccnfta'ntly collecting in houfes and ftreets, fo difpofcdofzs neither to interrupt the com- fort, or endanger the health of any part of the citi- zens. Many of the Yards of this city, are'lower than the front part of the lot on which the houfe is built—it is certainly a meafure that promifes great iecurity to the health of the occupants that all fuch ( 22 ) yards be railed a little above the level of the ftreet, in order to carry off the ftagnant water, Sec. The erection of fiore houfes and platforms, upon piles of wood, they confider as miferable contrivan- ces, and fitted for no better purpofes than that of being rcfervoirs of filth and nefts of peftilence. In like manner, the digging cellars out of new grounds during the hot months, and the abominable practice of opening ovfters upon thefe grounds, (or indeed any other) fhould hereafter be totally prohibited during the fame period. The Committee conceive that it would be a mat- ter very conducive to health and comfort, if our markets were under better and ftricter regulations. They fubmit too, very refpectfully to the Corpora- tion, whether it would not be a falutary meafure to remove the ferry from the largeft and the moft frequented marker in our city, to fome other place, and that, for reafons which we conceive too obvious to need enumeration. The laft thing which we have to propofe, though among the very fir ft in its importance, is to pro- cure for our city, that :;reat defideratum, a plentiful fupVy of Pure and vVholefome Water. This infinitely valuable article, fo precious to the comfort, hcVh, and very exiftence of the people, fhould be procured without any unneceflary delay' and from an unfailing fource, liable to no inter' ruptions, and removed from ail the impurities of the city. This agreeable agent, equally falutary and powerful, by its riVJ currents, might be employ. ed at any feafon, to remove from our houfes, flreets . V3 5 wharves, docks, and flips, all thofe offenfive mate- rials, which from within and from without, are conftantly collecting, and hourly acquiring proper- ties every way deftructive of comfort, and promo- tive of difeafe. From the opinions, and enquiries of fome intelligent and refpectable citizens, who have been employing themfelves on this interefting fubject,-.we believe that a ftream from the River Bronx, might without much difficulty be conducted into our city. But from what fource foever it may be thought belt to derive good water, no hindrance whatever fhould be thrown in the way to its attain- ment. No regard fhould be paid to individual, but to the general interefts, on this vaft concern; nor fhould the Corporation or citizens lnten to, or adopt any plan for its accomplifhment, other than that which fhull be founded upon mature deliberation,^ uninfluenced by any principles of a narrow policy or an ill-judged ceconomy. Perhaps it maybe necefiary, in order to carry the domeftic regulations, which are here recom- mended, into full effect, or as many of them as may be thought of ufe, in averting the return of the late calamity, to enlarge, by legiflative interference, the power of the Corporation. We acknowledge ourfelves unacquainted both with" the extent of their auihority to correct, and the number of their difficulties to fubdue—we be- lieve the .firft to be confiderabie, and the laft formi- dable—If however there be any thing in the fore- going pages deferving of notice and worthy of be- ing acted upon, it is certainly high time it were at- tempted. The Magiftracy fliould endeavour, we ( -4 ) humbly apprehend, by fome decifive exertion, to remove from th/'r Corneratc capacity the blame which many citizens think attaches to it, from the belief, that they have a fufficicncy of power, but from particular clrcumftances much difinclination, to begin and carry through the effential objects of neceifary reform. We fuggeft, with great defer- ence, as our opinion, that it would facilitate the bu- fmefs defigned, if the objects of reform were fo divided, as that the completion of them might be put under the direction and fuperintendence of Boards of Commiflioners, fpecially appointed, pof- fefling full authority, and receiving adequate com- penfaticn. This is done to good purpofe in other great cities, and why not here ? In the city of London the Commiflioners of the common fewers, hold a ph.ee of truft, and cxercife an authority, which in point of importance to the health and fafcty cf the people, yields to none within the whole king- dom. The Committee have thus endeavoured to lay before their fellow citizens, in as concife and in- telligible a manner as they were able, a plain view of the nature, the fcurces and fine prevention of Yel- low Fever. In doing this, they have not allowed themfelves in any inftance, knowingly, to wanckr un- der the guidance of popular prejudice or pltrpirk into the devious fields of theoretical fpefulation. Confcientioufly impreffed, as they have been, with the immenfe confequences of this ferious fubieel, to the future health and profperity of our city thev have permitted no opinion to go forth, nor propo- fed any manner of domeftic reform, which have not fprung from their belt apprebenfions of truth i ( »5) and go recommended by the ftrongeft convictions of necefiity and ufefulnefs. Upon the whole, the Committee cannot help indulging the hope, that by this feeble attempt, they may at leaft be fo fortunate as tofet their fel- low-citizens on THINKING, and by that means, lay a good foundation for WORKING. They conclude this report therefore, by entreating the magiftracy and the people to BE UP and a STIR- RING, for they maybe affured that THE EVIL. THING IS NOT DEAD—BUT SLEEPETH. % ». HILH. jvt-lll" 'J ^mW-WUBKlWIMM WW——WW APPENDIX. J; H£ reader will find in this Appendix, besides the Affidavits, &7V. referred to in the body of the Report, a paper drawn up exclusively by Dr. Samuel ■4 Mitchell, Professor of Chymcsiry in Columbia College, and one of the Members of the Committee who framed the Report. It contains the result of certain experi- ments on which Doflrines arise, either not universally admitted, or not generally understood. The Commit- tee are of opinion, that if these experiments be just, and the Dottrine arising out of them be tenable and true, they cannot be too generally known—if false, they cannot be too early refuted. They therefore re- commend it, without further preface or comment, ti the perusal of the' Chymest and the curious. (28 )- [;u. i.] AFFIDAVIT OF MALLEBAY AND DURAND, CON- CERNING THE SHIP OLIVE. New-Tork J 1S* JOHN MALLEBAY and JAMES B. DURAND, of the city of New-York, mer- chants, being duly fworn, do feverally depofe and fay—That on the'twenty-third day of June laft, the fhip Olive, Ifaac Johnfon matter, arrived at the pert cf New-York, from Jeremie, with a large cargo of coffee, and fome cocoa—That her crew confifted of ten perfons, exclufive of the captain, and that fhe had feven paiTengers on board—That the crew and paffengers were all in good health, except a Mr. Laborcle, a paffenger, who was ill with a confump- tion, and was brought on fhore by order of the Health Officer—That the cargo was landed at the Old Slip, between the twenty-fix th day of June and the fecond day of July laft—That the whole of the cargo was in good order, except about twenty hogf- heads of coffee, which being a little damaged, were fhifted, on board the fhip, into new hogfheads, and the damaged part was thrown overboard. That on the third day of July laft, the fhip, being dis- charged, was removed to a dock near the New Slip, where fhe remained till the twenty-eighth day of July, then inftant, on which day fhd was fold to Mr. Baingold, of Virginia, and further thefe depo- nents fay not. JOHN MALLEBAY, JAMES B. DURAND. Sworn, this yth day of December 1793, before me THEOPHILUS BEEKMAN, Alderman. ( *9 ) [No. 2.] Pretended importation into New-York inthefhip Olive* AFFIDAVIT OF DAVID CaTION. City °f I ff New-Tork, j DAVID CATION, one of the infpectors of the cuftoms for the port of New- York, being duly fworn, faith—That he had charge (as Infpector as aforefaid) of the fhip Olive, from the time of her arrival in this port until the difcharge of her cargo, to wit, from about the tv/entieth of the month of June, to the fixth or feventh of the month of July laft. That he was repeatedly in the hold of the faid fhip, and turned up great part of the cargo, which confifted of fugar and coffee; and obferved nothing materially offenfive in the Laid fhip. That there were fome hogfheads of coffee on board which were damaged in part; which hogf- heads were ftarted on deck at the Old Slip, in faid city, and the damaged part thrown overboard. That the crew and paffengers of the faid vefiel were all healthy, as far as this deponent knows, except one man who had a confumptive complaint. That the faid veffel was commanded by Ifaac Johnfon, and has been informed that fire was fold, after the delivery of her cargo, but does not know to whom. DAVID. CATION. Sworn before me, this \ft day of December, 1798. JACOB DE LA MONTAGNIE, Alderman. ( 30 ) [No. 3.] AFFIDAVIT OF THE MATE OF THE SLOOP IRIS City Of ~>r Ncw-Vork S LEVERETT STEVENS, late mate of the floop Iris, of New-Haven, being duly fworn, depofeth and faith—That he knew John Wilfon, the failor belonging to the faid floop— That he, this deponent, was on fliore with him at the time of his death, and aflifted in fewing up in a blanket, the body of the faid John Wilfon, together with all the wearing apparel which he had on fhore, and that no part whatever, of the fame, was return- ed on board of the floop. And this deponent fur- ther faith, that the regimental coat, found in the cheft of the deceafed, on board, was a new garment, taken out of a bale a few days before, in the pretence of this deponent, and to the belt of his knowledge and belief, "had never been worn. And this depo- nent further faith, that the jackets and trowfers found in the faid cheft were alfo new, and taken a lew days before, in the fight of this deponent, from another bale of goods ; and as this deponent verily believes, had never been worn by the faid John Wilfon^ m his lifetime, nor by any other perfon. And this deponent further faith, that being at the comptmg houle 01 El^an Aufljn, before the opening or John Wilfon s cheft of things in the ftore, and before the laid Elijah's departure for the city of New-York, whither he faid he was going, this de ponent heard him complain of being unwell, but C 3* ) Lliat notwithftanding, he mult proceed on his jour- ney. And further this deponent faith not. LEVERETT STEVENS. 3worn before mc, this 16th November, iyqS, GABRIEL FURMAN, Alderman, [No. 4.] Pretended importation of the diflempcrinto New-Haven, AFFIDAVIT OF-CAPT.TRUEMAN,OFTiIE SLOOPIRIS. Cdy of 1 ff< New-Tork, y DANIEL TRUEMAN, late commander of the floop Iris, which failed from New-Haven in the winter of the year 1794, on a voyage to Martinique, being duly fworn, uepoleiii and faith—After his arrival at the port of Saint Pierres, his vefTel was taken from him by the au- thority there—That while the veffel was detained, he, this deponent, and part of his people, lived on fhore—That after the condemnation and fale of his veffel, he, this deponent became the purchafer. And this Deponent further faith, that the remam- der of his crew, confiding of his mate and two ?mn, were employed, during part of the time atovd.^u, in the bufinefs of droguing, in the employ of the government there—That on the return of the mr.re •and the two men aforefaid, he this deponent, toV polTtfiion of the faid floop Iris* and carried his whole crew on board, and that afterwards, within (3* ) three days, one of the men, named John Wilfon, was taken fick of a fever, and within a few hours was carried on fhore, where he died, and was buri- ed in the clothes which he wore during his ficknefs, no article whereof was returned on board the Iris. And this deponent further faith, that on fetting fail, his crew, including paffengers, to the beft of this deponent's recollection, confifted of fifteen per- fons—'J hat the cheft of the deceafed John Wilfon was opened by this deponent and his mate, Lever- ett S'evens. twice during the paffage, and that it con mined a foldier's regimental coat, a great coat, feverai jackets and trowfers and a few other things, rone of which the faid John Wilfon wore during his illncfs. And this deponent further faith, that during the paffage from Saint Pierre's to New- York, and from New-York to New-Haven, the whole of the pet ions on board enjoyed good health, and no fever or other diftemper prevailed among them : And this deponent further faith, that aftei ins arriva' with aheahhy crew at New-Haven, Eli- jah Auftm, the perfon in whole employ the depo- nent failed, wan p.elent when this deponent open- ed the cheft containing the effects of the faid John Wihon, m a certain ftore where they had been car- ried from the veffel feverai days before; and that the feid Elijah Auftin, before the opening of the faid cheft and before his depatture for the city of New-It ork to which he was then about to go, complained of a head ache, and faid he mult pro- ceed neverthelefs to New-York. And further this deponent faith not. DANIEL TRUEMAN. The fircgoing depfiiion was fworn to before me //,;, 16th of Nvcmber, 1798. ' ls GABRIEL FURMAN, Alderman. ( 33 ) [No. 5.] Pretended importation in the fchooner Vox, into Ncw- Tork. AFFIDAVIT OF VINCENT G. COUET, A PASSENGER. Citf °f \ fs, Ncw-Tork 3 VINCENT GUY COUET, at prefent of the city of New-York, gentleman, being duly fworn, depofeth and faith—That he arrived in the port of New-York, in the fchooner Fox, from Jeremie, on the fifteenth of July laft—That there were four paffengers on board the faid fchooner, who, together with the crew of the faid veffel, were, during their paffage and at the time of their arrival here,'in good health—That he left Jeremie on the 24th of June laft, at which time it was generally very healthy at that ifland—That he has not heard of any contagious diforder exifting there at the time he left it—That; the veffel in which the depo- nent came to this city, was commanded by a Mr. Dandelot. COUET. Sworn before me, this 4th day of December, 1798, THEOPHILUS BEEKMAN, Alderman. (34) [No. 6.2 Concerning the effects of the Exhalations from Bur- ling s-slip sewer. ON the 23d and 24th of Auguft, being two very cool mornings,, preceeding the extreme heat of fome days before, almoft the whole neighbour- hood of the top of Golden Hill, and in Cliff-flreet, were feized with flight affections of the heart, and with fympfoms of contagion. Two days before this, while fitting with a neighbour at the corner of Cliff- ftreet and John-ftreet, directly facing Burling-fiip, they experienced an uncommonly offenfive odour, coming from Burling-flip and brought by the fou- therly wind ; this fmell had been perceived for fome days before (but not fo extremely difagreeable) when- ever the wind was foutherly, and was conveyed as in a funnel up the hill to John-ftreet—the corner houfe of thefe ftreets, feemed to divide the funnel, and at this houfe, the firft perfons took fick, and they were very feverely attacked. There were ma- ny cellars in this neighbourhood filled with beef, which at this time was in a putrid ftate. Mr. Ren- ny, (the taylor) who lives below Dr. Faugeres, near the corner of Pearl-ftreet and John-ftreet, alfo related to Dr. F. that his cellar was filled with beef, which had emitted a very difagreeable fmell for fome time before thisx and that the fmell was very offenfive to all his family. Renny's wife and himfelf took fick the latter end of Auguft, fhe died—he recovered !—Dr. Faugere fays, that when the for- ties of the common fewer were opened, in order to have quick lime thrown in, two young men of the (35) neighbourhood, from motives of curiofity, looked into the drain, and that thefe young men both took the diforder and died. [No. 7-] Poisonous exhalations from the sewer of Burling's-slip. ON the 14th day of Auguft, there fell, during a. fhower in the morning, an unufual quantity of rain. The fall was fo fudden and copious, that many low lots of ground and cellars were partly filled by it. Hot weather continued and encreafed, after this exceflive precipitation of water ; and the concurrence of thefe two caufes, doubtlefs, largely contributed to put the putrefcible fubftances in the city into rapid fermentative action. In parts of the city, where the kind and quantity of fuch matters favoured the production of peflilential va- pours the neighbourhood foon grew fickly ; but in no place, was its local generation and diffufion more evident than around the upper opening of Burling-flip fewer, in Pearl-ftreet. It may be re- marked, in general, of our fewers, that they have not defcent enough to enable fluids to run brifkly through them. They are of courfe very liable to obftruction; and the complaint very generally made by the citizens on this head, do not apply to Sewers, as fuch, but they evince in ftrong terms, that fome fewers, which underdrain the flreets, are ( 36 ') fhocking/y proieclcd and executed. The following narrative will ihew this : The wafh of feverai ftreets, is intended to be emptied into the Eaft-River through the fewer.— The impetuous fall of rain on the fourteenth, clean- fed the ftreets of almoft every nafty thing, fo that the pavement appeared uncommonly nice and bare ; and if it had been low water, all this amouat of foul and putrid matter, from the ftreets, would have paffed freely through the fewer into the ri\ r, and the city been benefited by its removal. But it happened at that time to be high water, which made fuch refinance at the lower end of the fewer, that the wafh of the ftreets could not force a paffage faft enough, but flopped and ftagnated until the re- cefs of the tide. A quantity of the putrefcent ma- terials depofited by the wafh, fettled along the bot- tom of the fewer, and as foon as the day of Auguft, emitted exhalations from the mouth of the fewer, highly offenfive to the neighbouring inhabitants and to perfons walking along the ftreets. At the time the fubltances below were emitting thefe vapours, the wind blew from the S. or S. E. and on the fome of the inhabitants living to leeward of the mouth of the fewer, were taken fick. The poifonous air extricated, probably did not conti nue to flow for a long time; but as it paffed along the leeward fides of Pearl, John, and Cliff- ftrect, ifr fcattered ficknefs and death among the people. Its malignity was dreadful, and it fpread to leeward until itfpent its force among the houfes or became diffufed and attenuated in the atmof pherc. To ftay the progrefs of the mifchief a parcel of quick lime was thrown into the fewer '__ The watery vapours proceeding from it, as it paffed wa» driven by the wind in the fame direction i. ( 37 ) the peftilential ftreams had travelled, and rendered their march and diffemination, in a manner, cogni- zable by the eye. A peftilential exhalation, rifing from the flip where the lower end of the fewer ter- minated, exerted its poifonous influence upon part of a floop's crew, which laid there ; and a portion of the vapours from this lower fource, wafted to leeward by the E. S. E. wind, appears to have deftroyed a number of lives in Water-ftreet, near the place of its production. The Committee believe, not a fingle citizen ever doubted the local origin of the poifonin this place. [No. 9.] Danger of Burying Grounds in Cities. ON the fubject of Burying-grounds, and the danger arifing from the accumulation of dead bodies in Churches and Church-yards, an inftrucrive little work, in two Effays, was written in Italian, by Mr. Piattoli, and publifhed more than thirty years ago, by order of the Duke of Modena. In the firft part, the Author recites the cuftoms of different people of antiquity concerning funerals— the times when interment begun in inhabited places, and Churches—the progrefs of this abufe, and the different laws both civil and ecclefiaftical, which have been enacted and re-enacted on this fub- ject : In the fecond, he has recourfe to experience and actual facts, to demonftrate the danger of interment in Churches and Towns. Air charg- (33 ) ed with animal exhalations, is already known by its pernicious effects :—If fuch air proceeds from a corrupting corpfe, it becomes the more dangerous by being confined in clofe places, where it has little communication with the free atmofphere. 1 he un- happy events, occafioned by thefe terrible exhala- tions, evince the neceflity of eftabliiTiing an unref- trained current of air in burial-places. Grave-yards ought therefore to be Temoved from the abodes of the living, and fliould be carried quite out into the country :—And fuch is the conclufion which the author draws from the affemblage of all his proofs and all his arguments. What can illufttrate it more ftrongly than the following fact ? At Sanlien,in Burgundy, therepre- vailed a catarrhal epidemic fever of a mild type ; and there had been buried in the parifh church of St. Saturninus, the carcafe of a grofs and corpulent man. Three and twenty days afterwards, a hole was made along fide of that wherein he had been buried, to inter a woman who had died in child bed of the prevailing diftemper. From the mo- ment the ground was opened, a very fetid exhala- tion filled the church, and was perceptible by all who entered it. In letting down the carcafe of the woman the coffin was fhaken by the fliping of the rope, and a quantity of corrupted matter ran out and affected the afliftants. Out of one hundred and feventy perfons who entered the church,' after the grave was dug to the time of its being clofed, one hundred and forty-nine were attacked with a putrid malignant fever, which had fome characters of the prevailing catarrh ; though the nature and violence of the fymptoms left no room to doubt that its peculiar malignity was derived from the in, fection of the church. ( 39 ) It is well worthy of remark that the wifeft prin- ces and prelates have uniformly oppofed interment in cities and churches; but fuperftition has al- ways rifen up in oppofition to their laws, and but too frequently prevented their execution. On this point the people have fhewn themfelves pecu- liarly prone to tranfgrefs, and therefore it becomes a legiflature to provide againft the repetition of fimi- lar offences by energetic and decifive meafures. Vi'cq D'Azvr's Ejfai fur les De la Sepulture, Ifc, Theory of the Muriate of Soda or common fait, in fre- ferving the Fleff of Animals, by Dr. Mitchell. EXPERIMENTS have abundantly fhewn, that muriatic acid,, poured upon animal bile, c-omhines with the foda and conftitutes common fait. In this experiment, the bitter of bile is precipitated or fet loofe. It does not yet appear to be quite fettled wherein bitters exactly differ from afiringents. With refpect to their compofition, I fufpect the dif- ference is rather in degree than in kind. If fo, then as afiringency confifts in the combination of the gallic acid and the earth of allum, there can be conceived nothing injurious to health in that por- tion of the fecretion of the liver. If muriate of foda, can be thus 'produced artifi- cially and out of the animal btdy, there can be no doubt of the pofiibility of its formation by a natural procefs within the hody, where the fpirit of fait is taken as an article of food or of medicine. Glauber feenis firft to have practiced the extraction of this (4o) lingular and moderate acid from its alkaline bafis in fea-falt, [2 Boerhaav Cbcm. Prcc. cxliii.] and to have given an account of its excellence in diet and domeftic ccconomy. Booeriiaave defcribes it as "remarkably agreeable to the ftomach, promoting appetite, attenuating mucus, aflifting digeliion, pre- venting putrefaction, &c." and concludes the char- acter of this liquid procured from fea-falt, by af- firming that '• it is above all praife." [Ibid.'] And Hoffman [Ohs. Phy. Chem. lib 2, oh. xvii.] fpeaks of the ufing of the fpirit of fait with flefh-broths as a common practice. It is rather a pity the oxi- genated forms of this acid and their combinations,. have chiefly attracted the norice of the more mod- ern chymlfts. Yet, though the fpirit of fait is fo fafe and val- uable a preparation, the untutored appetite of man arid other animals, has led them to prefer the mu- riatic acid in conjunction with foda, that is, fea-falt or common fait, to the fpirit of fait itfelf. There muit be a reafon for this, and this reafon, which h- founded deep in the nature of things, is worthy to be fearched for. Thus the conftitution of many creatures is fup- plied not only with the bitter of foda (bile or gall) furnifhed by the liver, but with the muriate of foda taken in with food. Then the queftion before us is, what are the chymical effects of the muriate of foda taken into the ftomach with the aliment ? Now I fay, in creatures who eat fubftances which contain lepton, or the bafis of the acid of putrefac- tion, there may happen cafes of furcharge, retention or indigeftion ; and at fuch times, may be formed within the ftomach or inteftines, a portion of that offspring of corruption, the feptic acid, after the ( 4i ) fame manner as in other putrefactive proceffes. —Befides the agreeable ftimulation afforded by the muriate of foda, to the palate and ilomach, its al- kali lies ready to feize and neutralize any little par- cel of feptic acid that may happen to be produced. After this manner, that injurious acid is taken out of circulation, and the mild and falubrious fpirit of fait is extricated in its ftead. And in a fimilar way, the foda of fea-falt has an operation in the ftomach, fimilar to the foda of the gall in the inteftines. In the former cafe the muriatic acid is fet loofe, in the latter the bitter principle. In both, the foda will quit its prefent connections, to combine with a ftronger acid. In fuch cafes, cubic nitre is the new product. Where no acid is generated, there will be no decompofition of either. The reafon then is apparent, wherefore it is better to take the muri- atic acid with foda, than without. There may be a further ufe, that from this fource, the bile itfelf may derive its alkali. The principle wherefore fea-falt acts in pre- ferving food, may thus be confidered as inveftigated. But it may be afked, why the muriatic acid is fo much milder than the fcptic ? To this I reply, that as the unknown radical of that acid attracts oxyge- ny more forcibly than any other known fubftance, it acts with moderation upon almoft every other body ; not like the feptic powerfully acting and being itfelf powerfully acted upon, but on the con- trary, not readily decompofing other bodies, nor being itfelf readily decompofed. When the bafe of the muriatic fhall become known, certain doubts and difficulties which befet this part of the inquiry will be cleared away and not until then. This difcovcry is a great defideratum in fVnce. (42 ) Yet the muriate of foda is not only mingle* with food when eaten, but many fubftances intend- ed for nutriment, are fprinkled, pickled, or im- pregnated with it in the larder and kitchen, before they are ferved up at table. Sea-falt is preferred for culinary purpofes, not becaufe it is the firongefi,. but the moft palatable and agreeable of antifeptics. This may be beft underftood by fhewing what foda can do alone. If I am not miftaken, the operation of this al- kali, to overcome the harmful products of putre- faction, is amply fupported by the ancient mode of embalming, as practifed in Egypt. For Herodo- tus, in defcribing the procefs, particularly mentions among other things, that the bodies were salted' and hid in nitre for feventy days—[B. II. cap. 85, 86.3 " The ufe of which was to dry up all their fuperfluous and noxious moifture." The Greek Hiftorian ufes both the word and the atticifm to exprefs the fubftance ufed for faking the bodies. Now, it is a fettled point, that thefe words though tranflated "nitre," mean not the « Salt-Petre," of the moderns, but the fo- da or the bafis of fea-falt. This chymical corredion, ftrengthened by the authority of Warburton, [3 Divine, Leg. B. 4 § 3.] contending that the body of Israel [Genesis, c. z. 2, 3.] was kept by the embalmers, the cuftomary time in nitre, [Carbonate ofcWa] evinces how long ago it was known that the mineral alkali, abforbed the feptic fluids produced during the corruption of human bodies. Soda alone then can preferve the flefh of an animal from corruption ; and if mere prefervation was all that was intended, this alkali, would by -- ( 43 ')' felf anfvver the purpofe, and fo would Pot-Afh.— But there is fome quality in the muratic acid, which makes the compound, which it forms with Soda, a far preferable fubftance to prevent the corruption of meat intended to be eaten. In order to underftand what effect the-muriate of foda has, it will be proper to confider what change the piece of meat in the larder was undergoing, which could be arrefted by the fea-falt. The flefh of animals, we mean particularly the mufcular or lean parts, may be confidered as verging towards a pu- trefactive flate from the time the fibres lofe their irratibility and become rigid, and one of the figns of incipient putrefaction, under circumftances favourable to that procefs, is fometimes a fournefs or production of acidity in the fubftance [4 Fourcroy, Chap, xvi.] and this acidity is inherent in the meat, and quite another thing from fixed air. What I mean is the feptic acid, which fometimes poifons diffectors, and which, when volatilized into gas and diffufed through the atmofphere, caufes violent en- demic diftcmpers. When produced, it is formed early in the putrefactive procefs, and before the whole flefh has undergone total diforganization. But fortunately for mankind, it is not always en- gendered during the putrefaction, even of thofe Jubilances which contain its bafis, fepton. This ra- dical frequently efcapes in the form of azotic air, without combining with oxygene at all, and in fuch cafes the exact matter of peftilential fluids is not formed. In cafes where the feptic acid is formed in falted meat, the muriate of foda is decompounded : and while the alkali attracts the deftructive feptic acid to itfelf, it lets go the muriatic. The flefh, in pro- portion as it becomes impregnated with this new ( 44) and preferving ingredient, progreffes aftc'rwarus ilowly. towards deco;npo!ition, becauie it isinvelopcd with a liquid acting feebly upon it, and upon which it can exert in its turn but a feeble action. Hence, when beef, or any other lean meat, is plentifully charged and furrounded with fait, there is enough •u" foda to neutralize the acid of putrefaction, fhould any be formV, and there is alio a correfponding proportion of the fpirit of fait oifengaged, from which latter proceeds in a certain degree the a- greeable fmell and pleafant tafte of well failed pro- vilicns. To preferve the flefh of animals, there muft therefore be not only fait enough in the barrel, but this fait muft be applied to every part of the meat, by cutting it into pieces of a moderate fize, and by rubbing in the fait with a ftrong hand, as well as by the application of brine or pickle. When too little fait is applied, and proviiions are become taint- ed or corrupt, there is not foda enough to arreft the feptic acid, nor a fufficiency of muriatic acid extri- cated to impregnate and preferve the remainder of the meat. ^ From this feptic 'matter difengaged, with a portion of hydrogene, phofphorus, &c. pro- ceed the difgufting flavour and fickly naufeatiug lector of badly cured provifions. [See Mitchell's -'. Iter to Prcfeffor V.'oodhcufe, cfe. Good qualifies of the Bronx River Water. The Committee fuppofe that it may aid the pub- licity of Dr. Browne's valuable Memoir, prefented < 45 ) io the Corporation of the city of New-York, to add the following extract from it, on the means of fupplying the city with Water, from the River Bronx. The ftream in the County of Weft-Chefter, known by the name of Saw-Mill river, which empties into the North river, beyond the nineteen mile ftone, has been mentioned by fome as excel- lent water, and capable of affording ail that is wanted. I have no objection to make to the truth of this affertion-^-but the expence of bringing this wa- ter nineteen miles, over fo rough a country, would be greater than could be probably raifed for this purpofe, even admitting the neceffary fupply could not be had otherwife-—but fortunately New-York is not in this dilemma, for there is another fource equally copious and full as pure, that may with great facility be obtained for a quarter part of the' expence (to wit.) THE RIVER BRONX, * Whose principal fource is from a fmall lake, about four miles Northward of the White Plains. This lake is nearly three miles in length and half a mile wide. After meanding twenty miles through a rocky part of the County of Weft Chefier, it falls into the Eaft river, juft above Hunt's Point. The neareft point of its approach to the City of New-York, is at prefent about 12 miles from the City Hall. Tins water is remarkably pure and pellucid, and from a chymical analyfis which has been made of it, it may be relied on as poffefling no noxious qualities. The inhabitants who live near its banks, ( 46 > are in the coftftant habit of ufing it in preference to other water during cold weather, and experience- no bad effeds from it. It may not be amils to< mention a few tefts that are the only ones neceffary to afcertain what is good water—the firft is to boiP leguminous vegetables in it, the fecond to mix it with foap, for water that contains any of the lalts, with an earthly bafe,. fuch as nitrate of lime and magnefia, muriate of lime and magnefia, fulphafe of lime, or carbonate of lime and magnefia,. wilt not do well for either of the above purpofes, for having a great affinity to the mucilage of plants, it* extracts, and thereby renders them hard and difa- greeable to the tafte. Soap is likewiie an excel- lent teft, which is known to be a chymical com- pound of alkali and oil or fat.. All falts with an earthly bafe, decompound foap by a double ex- change ; their earth unites itfelf with the oil or fat,, whilft their acid combines with the alkali of the foap, and by the combination of the oil and earth,, is formed a foap which is infoluble in water, and: makes thofe clots or curdles, which we perceive in njixing foap with what is generally called hard or crude water. Water then that is- clear and from a running fource, that boils leguminous vegetables, tender, in which foap readily diffolves, and has na bad flavour, may be pronounced good water—tc* all thefe tefts, the water of the Bronx has been fubmitted, and from whence we cannot but pro- nounce it excellent. I shall now endeavour to point out an eafy method of carrying it to New-York. It has alrea- dy been mentioned that its neareft approach to the City Hall, is about 11 miles diftance ; but at about 14 miles diftance, which is half a mile below Wil- liams's bridge, is a piece of low meadow ground (47 7 hi which arife :wo fprings—-one of which runs eaii- Vy, and empties itfelf into the Bronx, at not more dian 400 cards from its origin. The other fpring runs foutherly and empties into Haerlem Riverr Vter traverfing a diftance of about fix miles. The place where thofe fprings originate, is not more than five feet above the level of the Bronx, and fometimes part of the river, when raifed by a con-- fiderable frelhet, has run over part of this meadow and emptied itfelf into Haerlem River.. From thofe realbns, then it is obvious that by building a. Dam, five feet in height, acrofs the Bronx, below where the firft mentioned Spring empties itfelf into it, and by digging a Canal 400 yards in length through the meadow, the whole of the Bronx, if neceffary, might be diverted from its old rout, and thrown into Haerlem river, at about eight miles. diftant from the City-Hail. The place where the Bronx may be thus divided, is about 50 feet above high water mark.. T I N I & Med. Hist. WZ s~na mitt* I7t"?