PHYSICAL AND LITERARY. 409 



Art. XVm. 



Obfervatiom on the Catarrhal Epidemic of 

 1762, by Ebenezer Gilchrist, 



THE catarrhal epidemic of 17(^2, com* 

 pared with fome other conftitutions 

 of the fame kind, was far from being fo 

 frequent and fatal. That of . 729 hap- 

 pened in winter ; and, for fome time, in- 

 crealed the bills of mortahty at London 

 to about a thoufand a week. The wea- 

 ther was thick, warm, and rainy. In 

 1733, the half of the inhabitants of a 

 town were laid down at once, and al- 

 moft whole families were feized in a 

 Vol. IIL Fff night; 



♦ Head June 1764, 



