84 CORRESPONDENCE. [1813. 



lation, I suppose, pass through the hospital every year, 

 and part of the remainder die on the way to it. I 

 have been much indebted to the Brigges for their great 

 kindness on this occasion ; they are excellent people, 

 both politically and privately. Yours ever truly, 



"H. BROUGHAM/' 



TO EARL GREY. 



" BROUGHAM, September 21, 1813. 



" MY DEAR LORD GREY, I have just heard with the 

 greatest concern of your having had the scarlet fever 

 at Howick, and I am extremely anxious to hear that it 

 has done no mischief. 



" I know a good deal of that damnable disease, both 

 from having had it myself twice, and from several of 

 our family having had it in the worst possible shape. 

 I have attended a good deal to the subject of cold effu- 

 sion, and I beg of you to urge your medical men by 

 all means to try it. They sometimes are afraid, but 

 vaccination is not more demonstrably certain. Eomil- 

 ly's eldest daughter was saved by it. My sister I saw 

 literally restored to life by it. She had been given 

 over, and was thought to be actually gone, when the 

 medical man ordered cold air to be let in upon her. 

 This was long before the practice had become common ; 

 in Romilly's case it was by the more powerful appli- 

 cation of cold water, applied again and again all over 

 the body, till it brought down the pulse and heat. 



" You should use the ordinary precautions against 

 infection yourself, and Lady Grey also, although 

 adults are not by any means so subject to it. If you 

 feel anything queer, an emetic is an excellent preventive, 

 checking the infection even where it has been taken. 



