1822,] 
are said to have operated in Barcelona, 
where, in addition to the other evils of 
a large city, the walls and military de- 
fences tend to prevent a salutary ven- 
tilation of the place, 
2. Since, in the production of epi- 
demic diseases, nothing is more bane- 
fully operative than the putrid emana- 
tions of decomposing animal and 
vegetable matter, it becomes of essen- 
tial importance to pay the greatest 
attention to the removal of such 
causes. In high atmospherical tem- 
peratures, such as are often expe- 
rienced in the south of Spain, the 
solar influence, acting on these foci 
of infection, tends to generate the ma- 
laria very widely; particularly in low, 
damp, crowded, and unventilated 
places. The application of lime, (as 
advised by your correspondent Mr. 
Luckcock, in your Number for De- 
cember last,) to these prolific sources 
of disease, might also contribute to 
check the ravages of the yellow- 
fever. 
3. In proposing, as a mean of pre- 
venting the yellow-fever, that the 
contagious fomites of the disease be 
avoided, I am aware that I approach 
controversial ground. Thirty years 
ago, among medical observers, the 
contagionists constituted a most de- 
cided numerical preponderance; but, 
at the present period, by far the 
greater number deny a contagious 
property to the yellow-fever. By the 
latter the doctrine of contagion has 
been denounced as anti-social; and 
the conyiction of how much a neglect, 
or even a desertion of the unfortunate 
victims, this opinion might appear to 
justify, may have excited a generous 
warmth against it. Since, however, 
not only the physicians of this coun- 
try, but those also of France and 
America, are divided on this subject, 
I may truly say to these polemic 
writers— 
Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere 
lites. 
This is not the place for entering 
into a discussion of such a question, 
which has been treated in so masterly 
a manner by Dr. Bancroft on one side, 
and by Sir Gilbert Blane on the other. 
Itis justly observed by the latter, in 
his “Elements of Medical Logic,” 
that many of the circumstances at- 
tending the propagation of the malady 
can only be accounted for on the 
ground of its contagious nature: as its 
appearing in such places that have 
Mr. Hatfield on the Prevention of Contagion. 
117 
communicated with a source of con- 
tagion; its almost constantly first 
breaking out at sca-ports, and parti- 
cularly at periods when vessels hay- 
ing the disease on-board have arrived ; 
its spreading from such place, as from 
a centre of contagion, to other situa- 
tions having communication with the 
first. These recur to my recollection 
as being among the most prominent 
of the arguments urged by that esti- 
mable physician, and which it will be 
no easy task for the non-contagionists 
to set aside or confute. 
Market Deeping ; 
Jan. 7, 1822. 
E. Hatrievp. 
~<a 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
RE we to have a new bridge or 
an altered one? As affects foot- 
passengers, and those who ride, there 
is no complaint in respect to the bridge 
itself; it is wide, and the pavement is 
good. The craftsmen are the com- 
plainants, and yet they are imme- 
diately alarmed when a small tonnage- 
toll is mentioned. The streets and 
avenues (not merely the approaches, 
a softened word of the engineers, so as 
not to frighten the public too much 
about the expense,) are of equal im- 
portance as the bridge. At present 
they are much too narrow, com- 
mencing from the Town Hall, Borough; 
and on the London side they want 
widening, more or less, all the way to 
Bishopsgate-street; Fish-street hill 
steepness to be removed or mitigated 
by all means; and an encreased accli- 
vity of the bridge to be avoided if pos- 
sible. Can a new bridge with all 
these, I decm absolutely necessary, 
appendages, be executed at an ex-= 
pense of less than a million and a 
half? 1 should doubt it. 
Even without a new bridge, the en- 
creasing number of houses building 
in St. George’s-fields, and southward 
generally, imperatively calls for in- 
creased accommodation in the streets 
leading into the heart of the city. 
In respect of a land-toll, there is 
very great prejudice against the mea- 
sure, and much inconvenience would 
arise to foot-passengers and carriages 
by the stoppage. 
If a new bridge is decided upon, it 
should be substantial and useful, in 
preference to ornamental: the latter 
being by no means necessary when 
the unsightliness of the river above 
bridge is considered; this might at. 
one 
