468 On the Epidemics of 1852-8. 
with the proportion of cases that were then lost from dropsy. 
In Hobart Town, in 1842 and 3, I lost one case of scarlet 
fever, and was called in when one had effusion into all the 
cavities from dropsy ; but at the Orphan School, where LT lost 
a large number of children, the deaths were principally from 
dropsy. I was’then made aware of one important fact, that 
the chance of dropsy depended greatly on the state of pre- 
vious health of the patient. 
The early deaths from scarlet fever seem to depend either 
on the severity of the epidemic, or individual aptitude to be 
affected by the poison ; the deaths after three weeks depend 
a good deal on the previous health of the person affected. 
With regard to the treatment of this disease, I must offer 
some observations on the use of Belladonna, given as a pre- 
yentive and as a curative. 
I was induced to use this remedy from reading an article 
by Dr. Tweedie, and hearing that it had been used freely 
and with success in Sydney—feeling that, at the same time, — 
in the doses there ordered, it could neither do harm nor 
interfere with other treatment. 
In 1842 and 8 I used it in two schools; neither were 
broken up, and none of the boarders had the fever. T used 
it in a family in Collins-street, where one child was affected 
with the fever; the sister who nursed the child had sore 
throat, but none of the rest had fever. 
I used it in my own family and in several others, and with 
good effect. I attributed the fewness of cases of scarlet fever 
that year in my own practice to its use.. I got amedical friend 
to use it, and all his family took scarlet fever ; and J used 
it for some time at the Orphan School—but the disease 
broke out there and it was discontinued, as it could hardly 
be given regularly to so many children. 
