246 O. W. HOLMES 



College of Physicians of Philadelphia " 2 may be foun 

 some most extraordinary developments respecting a series of 

 cases occurring in the practice of a member of that body. 



Dr. Condie called the attention of the Society to the 

 prevalence, at the present time, of puerperal fever of a 

 peculiarly insidious and malignant character. " In the prac- 

 tice of one gentleman extensively engaged as an obstetrician 

 nearly every female he has attended in confinement, during 

 several weeks past, within the above limits" (the southern 

 sections and neighboring districts), "had been attacked 

 by the fever." 



" An important query presents itself, the doctor observed, 

 in reference to the particular form of fever now prevalent. 

 Is it, namely, capable of being propagated by contagion, 

 and is a physician who has been in attendance upon a case 

 of the disease warranted in continuing, without interruption, 

 his practice as an obstetrician? Dr. C, although not a 

 believer in the contagious character of many of those af- 

 fections generally supposed to be propagated in this manner, 

 has, nevertheless, become convinced by the facts that have 

 fallen under his notice that the puerperal fever now pre- 

 vailing is capable of being communicated by contagion. 

 How, otherwise, can be explained the very curious cir- 

 cumstance of the disease in one district being exclusively 

 confined to the practice of a single physician, a Fellow of 

 this College, extensively engaged in obstetrical practice, 

 while no instance of the disease has occurred in the patients 

 under the care of any other accoucheur practising within 

 the same district; scarcely a female that has been delivered 

 for weeks past has escaped an attack?" 



Dr. Rutter, the practitioner referred to, "observed that, 

 after the occurrence of a number of cases of the disease 

 in his practice, he had left the city and remained absent 

 for a week, but, on returning, no article of clothing he 

 then wore having been used by him before, one of the very 

 first cases of parturition he attended was followed by an 

 attack of the fever and terminated fatally ; he cannot readily, 

 therefore, believe in the transmission of the disease from 

 female to female in the person or clothes of the physician." 



12 For May, June, and July, 1842. 



nd 



