1 62 Mr. Henry on the Bills of Mortality 



uncleanly manner, in which the poorer people 

 have been lodged^ owing to the want of houfes 

 to accommodate them : for, though many have 

 been ereded, yet feveral caufes have contributed 

 to reftrain the fpirit of building. During the 

 war, the high price of timber was a confiderable 

 obftacle; and, fince the peace, the frofts, which 

 were, for two years together, very intenfe, and 

 continued till the fpring was far advanced, have 

 prevented the making of bricks, and, together 

 with the tax, greatly enhanced their price. From 

 thefe caufes, I believe, were an aftual furvey taken 

 at prefent, the number of inhabitants, to a houfe, 

 would far exceed the amount in the year 1773*. 

 But it is proper to obferve that the devaftations 

 of this difeafe have not been confined to this 

 place. Dr. Fothergill of Bath informs me that 

 all the manufacturing towns, in the vicinity of 

 that city, have been afflidled by a fever of a 

 fimilar kind. Under fo heavy a vifitation, it is a 

 pleafing confideration, that, in all probability, 

 the havock, it might have made, has been 

 leflened by the well-timed and charitable alTift- 

 ance that has been afforded, by the truftees of 

 our infirmary, to many unhappy objefts, labour- 

 ing under this dire difeafe, at their own homes ^ 



* I have too frequently had opportunities pf feeing a 

 man with his wife and three or four children, all xefiding 

 in one fmall room, in which they drefs their vi<5luafsj eat, 

 work, and fleep. 



and 



