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character ; and, in the course of twenty-five years, that is, from the 

 beginning of that year to the end of 1847, there were 4,874 deaths 

 from scarlet fever, 3,124 from measles, and 3,740 from small-pox. 

 The progressive, though somewhat irregular, increase and decline of 

 the annual numbers of the deaths from these disorders, is shown in the 

 following table. 



Table of tlie annual numbers of deaths from Scarlet Fever, Measles, and Small-Pox in the city 

 of New York, from the beginning of 1805 to the end of 1847. 



The great increase of the population of the city of New York, of 

 late years, affords no explanation of these epidemic phenomena. 

 The facts stated distinctly show that there arose, in 1823, that pe- 

 culiar variety of epidemic meteoration which favours the diffusion of 

 the contagious exanthemata, and especially of scarlet fever; and 

 which, gradually augmenting in force, reached its height of intensity 

 in 1837, in which year 579 died of scarlet fever, 238 of measles, and 

 164 of small-pox, making a total of 981 deaths from these diseases. 

 Since 1837, the prevalence of the exanthemata has been slowly abat- 

 ino-. In 1846 the deaths were reduced to 272; and in the following 

 or last year, 1847, the number, though greater than in the preceding 

 year, amounted to only 473. 

 8 



