€6 Monthtt/ Report of Diseases. [Aug. I, 



Delivery of the Fitters'' Certificates. — Majesty to suspend the Ballot or Enrol' 



3May 21. mentfor the Local Militia. — May 21. 



Cap. XXXYI. To repeal two Acts Cap. XXXIX. To reduce the Num- 



passed in the Rn'gns of King Edward her of Days of Muster or Exercise of 



the Fourth and King Richard the Third, Yeomanry and Volunteer Cavalry. — 



which prohibit the Importation of May 21. 



Wrought Goods, and certain other Arti- Cap. Xli. For further continuing, 



cles. — 3Iay 21. 7intil the 5th of July, \818, an Act of t/ie 



Cap. XXXVII. To permit the Im~ 4:4th Year of his present Majesty, to con- 



portatiun of Prunes the Produce of Ger- tinue the Restrictions contained in the st- 



rniany. — Mav21. veral Acts of his present Majesty, on Pay' 



Cap. XXXVIII. To empower his ments of Cash by the Bank of England. 



—May 21. 



MONTHLY REPORT OF DISEASES in N.W. LONDON; 



From .Time 24 to July 24, 1816. 



NO variation has been remarked in the state of acnte disease, as niijiht reasonably 

 be expected, from a comparison of the atmospheric phenomena of the prcseut 

 ■with those of the preceding month. Two such snunuer months of rain and cold have 

 not before occurred within my recollection. 



Rheumatism, and scarlet fever, of an inflammatory kind, have more frequently ar- 

 rested our attention in the metropolis ; (he latter has generally been accompanied by 

 unusual distress in the throat, with great constitutional irritation, and in some ha» 

 proved fatal, esjiecially among the poor, when neglected at the commencement. It is 

 deservins; of remark, that where this disease prevails in families and schools, it not uu- 

 frequently happens that a part of those attacked have ihe affection of the throat alone, 

 ■without the scarlet appearance upoij the skin ; when the disease is better known by the 

 term Cynauclie Tonsillaris, and, I believe, in this form its inflammatory nature hai 

 never been diKputed. The treatment is the same in both species, and I more particu- 

 larly lioticc the fact, to make evident the propriety of bleeding. But there is yet « 

 more speedy, and almost infallible, remedy, which at once removes the peculiar distress 

 of the throat, and the «onstitution^<iI irritation, viz. a transverse incision, with a scalpel, 

 thron^h Ihe dense membrane of the swollen tonsils. The rationale of this practice will 

 be sufiicieutly evident to the practitioner who has witnessed the irritation and fever of 

 a whitlow removed by a similar incision through the integuments of the affected part 

 down to the bone ; if the operation is dexterously performed, the relief is instautane- 

 otis : the pain abates, the power of de<.'lutition returns, and, as the source of the irrita- 

 tion is destroyed, the febrile symptoms abate also. In some few cases of unusual perti- 

 nacity, it may be necessary to repeat the operation, in consequence of the closure of the 

 incision. 



Where the severity of the symptoms is not such as to warrant the proposal of a remedy 

 so formidable in appearaiire, the plan of treatment I have foimd most successful is that 

 which is calculated to remove inflammation. Bleeding, general or local, is commonly 

 serviceable, but this must be regulated by circumstances. I prefer local bleeding, 

 where I think blood enough can be obtained from the part : hence leeches, applied in ■ 

 mflicient number, on each side of the posterior part of the lower jar, are of great ser- 

 vice ; and still further benefit may be derived from the fomentations of hot water usually 

 employed for the purpose of increasing the flow of blood : poultices applied to the same 

 parts are also efhcaciotis, by relaxing the integuments, aud taking off pressure from the 

 inflamed tonsils within the fauces. 



Among Ihe cases of rheumatism, many have been attacked on one side only, the dis- 

 ease putting on an appiaraucc of a paralytic affection. Sciatica, in one instance, wat 

 accompanied witli groat force of arterial action, and required repeated bleeding for its 

 removal ; relief was afforded from the coimnenceincnt by this practice, and the cure 

 was ultimately corapleaied by its continuance : the blood was found excessively 

 inflamed. 



The case of Riiemjialic Phthisis noticed in onr last, has, contrary to all expectation,* 

 termiivated in recovery. Within this month I have seen two other patients, apparently 

 ttffccied with incurable consumption, who have been perfectly restored by nature alone: 

 one of the eases was the eonis-quence of measles, aud the other of inflanied bronchiae. ■ 

 The medicines administered were mere palliatives of cough, and eould have had no 

 vhare in eft'eeting the cure. J. Want, 



IJ, Nurtli Creseent, Bmijurd Si^uai-e. late Surgeon to the Nwtheiu Dispensary. 



