in Frederick-Toivn and County. 39 



In the month of June, the rains were almost inces- 

 sant, and the wind blew chiefly from the north-east. 

 The crops of grain were threatened with destruction, 

 from the continual showers to which they were ex- 

 posed ; and great quantities of clover rotted under a 

 luxuriant vegetation ; or, being mowed down, putre- 

 fied in the meadows. The weather which followed was 

 warm and dry ; and it was now that the epidemic 

 fever made its first appearance. 



As far as local causes seemed to influence the pro- 

 duction of this disease, in its commencement it prin- 

 cipally invaded the higher situations, and places 

 usually deemed the most healthy. In its progress, 

 however, it extended its inroads to the bottom-lands, 

 and low grounds, where the inhabitants are visited, 

 annually, with autumnal fevers ; and it could not be 

 said, in the latter part of August and during Sep- 

 tember, that one situation was less afflicted than an- 

 other, though, here and there, a family would expe- 

 rience it less severely. The town began to experience 

 its indiscriminate fury in those months, a very few 

 cases only having occurred in July. 



The prevalence of this epidemic fever will form a 

 memorable era in the recollection of the inhabitants 

 of this place, as well as in the annals of the medical 

 practice here. The prominent characteristic, which 

 distinguished it from the epidemic fevers of the seve- 

 ral preceding years, was, that it did not admit of so 

 much depletion with the lancet, and evacuant medi- 



