154 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



Art. XI. 



^n Account of a "jer-j infeclious Dijlemper pre- 

 vailing in jnany P J aces, hy Ebenezer 

 Gilchrist, ilf. JD, * 



^ >^An Y years ago f , a diftemper appear- ^ 

 ^^ ^ ed in this and fome of the neigh- 

 bouring counties, which, at firft, gave no 

 apprehenfion to thofe afFedled with it, of i 

 any thing more than a flight and com- 

 mon ailment ; but was foon difcovered 

 to be of the venereal kind, or the foul dif- 

 aifc. It has prevailed ever fince, in a 

 greater or lefs degree, at different periods, 

 in difiPerent places j fometimes indeed a- 

 bating both in (Irength and frequency ; 

 it feemed to be fo much upon the decline, 



as 



* As this paper is to be publiflied in a flieet, and 

 diiperfcd among the lower clafs of people lathis part of 

 the country, where information is defired, it is written 

 in a plain maaner, and the terms are explained ia words 

 the moft familiar to them, 



f Read 1765. 



