224 HOSACK ON THE LAWS OF CONTAGION. 



In 1798 New-York was again visited with this scourge of our seaport 

 towns: during the months of August, September, and October, about 

 two thousand persons fell victims to this disease, at the end of which 

 time a keen frost put an almost instantaneous termination to its pro- 

 gress. The disease of that season first appeared at the shipyards, in 

 the neighbourhood of New-slip, and, as in former years, was introduced 

 from the West Indies.* After cutting off several persons in the neigh- 

 bourhood in which it commenced, the same vessel was removed to ano- 

 ther slip, also on the east side of the city; from thence the disease was 

 communicated by those who worked on board to a thickly-settled part 

 of the city, where the houses are small, the streets narrow, and chiefly 

 occupied by the poor; viz. Cliff-street, John-street, Ann-street, Fair- 

 street, Eden's-alley, and Rider-street; at the same time, however, it still 

 continued to extend its ravages in the vicinity of the place to which the 

 poison had been first communicated ; and to some other thickly-settled 

 parts of the town, to which it was subsequently conveyed. In a short 

 time afterwards it was introduced into Pearl-street, and in that part of 

 it between Burling and Peck slips, where it spread very extensively. 

 In that season a number of circumstances concurred to diffuse the con- 

 tagion in that part of the city : a great quantity of rain had fallen, so 

 as to overflow the cellars in Pearl-street, which were, at the same time, 

 stored with salted provisions; these were soon afterwards spoiled, and 

 loaded the atmosphere with a highly offensive vapour; the disease 

 raging at that time in that neighbourhood, acquired new virulence, and, 

 for the most part, followed the course of the vitiated atmosphere ; " be- 

 yond the limits of which," says Mr. Webster, " the disease exhibited 



* See statement of facts on this subject by the Rev. Dr. M'Knight, in the Amer. Med. and 

 Phil. Reg. vol. 3. 



