tude to forget the sensations of temperature of past times, and 2d. to a prejudice in favour of our own country, which prevails equally with the savage and civilized man. The thermometer may doubtless often rise as high in Philadelphia, as in the States south of the Potomac, or in the West Indies; but those who complain, forget to give credit in the account, for the cool nights and mornings, which they enjoy in our capital, while in the former places, the most oppressive part of the day is from the time the sun and the sea breeze have declined, until some hours after sun rise the next morning. In Philadelphia therefore the system although heated in the day, is refreshed by the diminution of temperature after sun set; while on the other hand, the sufferer rises more exhausted than when he retired, and pants for the moment, when the blowing of the sea breeze, shall restore his wonted activity and spirits. A change has taken place in the weather of autumn; formerly October and November were the most pleasant months in the year, being dry and clear; but of late years, they have been cold, rainy and variable: during the past season, this was particularly the case. Our springs are often so cold, that fires are comfortable, until the 10th of June. The quantity of rain that falls in Philadelphia, in the course of a year is very irregular. The precise quantity cannot be ascertained with accuracy, owing to the want of regular observations. What facts are in possession shall be given. In 1799* there fell, Inches. In 1800* In 1801* In 1805 40 6-8 42 * Dr. Cox's medical museum. All the rain that fell in the above years was not noted. In most parts of the United States, the rain falls in greater torrents than in Europe. We know but little of those "fine gentle showers" usually are called English rains," which when they do occur, Volney says "it is the fashion for people to go out to enjoy, without umbrellas, and to get themselves wet to the skin !!" The number of rainy days is certainly diminishing in the United States, and hence long droughts often occur, although the quantity of rain in the course of a year, may not vary much from years in which the supply of rain has been more regular. The summers of 1804 and 1809, were uncommonly rainy. In July 1804 63 inches fell; in August, 44; no estimate of June is preserved, but it is well recollected to have been uncommonly wet, and that vast quantities of hay were destroyed in consequence. In May 1786, rain fell during fourteen successive days. In 1788 and 1809, much grain grew in the shock, from the continual rain that fell after it had been cut. More rain fell during the month of November last (1810) than commonly falls throughout the year. In 1791 during the first five months, there were 43 days of rain. In the first eight months of 1790, there were 65 days of rain and 114 days of fair weather. Very dry summers sometimes occur, as in 1782, and 1793. The variations in the temperature of the weather are often considerable. In winter, these are not so sensibly felt, but in the summer when they occur, as they sometimes do, about the middle of August, after a very warm day, and the thermometer falls 15, 20, 30 degrees in the course of a night, indisposition will necessarily attack numbers, especially those who incautiously sleep with window sashes raised. The temperature of the well water is about 52° of Farenheit. The want of an annual report of all the deaths in the city until within the last five years, precludes the possibility of ascertaining accurately the comparative mortality of the present and every former year. It may however be asserted that owing to the very great improvement in the science of medicine and surgery, which have taken place within a few years, the chance for life is much increased; many diseases, now yielding to the powers of the healing art that formerly defied it. "In the year 1771,* the city and liberties of Philadelphia, contained between 25,000, 30,000 inhabitants. Between theChristmas of that and the following year, there died one thousand twohundred and ninety-onet persons. The city and districts contain at present about 100,000 inhabitants and yet between the first of January 1809, and the first of January 1810, there died but 2004 persons. Had the deaths kept pace with the increase of our population, their amount would have been more than double that number."§ Thirty years since, the disease from drinking cold water in Summer, when the body was heated by exercise; the lock jaw, the croup or hives, mania, and numerous other complaints, that might be mentioned, were seldom or never cured; but at present, they are very rarely fatal when early assistance is given. The first named disease is peculiar to the United States, and with regard to the two last it is asserted on good author *Occasionally, pains were taken to ascertain from the records of the different religious societies, and of the public burial grounds, the number of deaths in the city. The Episcopal church with commendable attention have from a very early period, published a register of births, deaths and christenings in their society, but no regular list was published of all the city deaths. It is more than probable that this number was even greater. § Rush's charge to medical graduates, 1810. ity, that the success in Philadelphia, is infinitely greater than in Europe. Even the consumption, formerly a hopeless disease, has yielded in numerous cases in this city, to the early and judicious application of medicine. The free use of wine in low fevers, of mercury, bark, opium and the lancet, all of which were used with a timid hand, and also warm and cold baths, have contributed to increase the empire of medicine over various diseases. The character of our diseases is for the most part inflammatory. This circumstance is owing to the very variable nature of our climate, to the general use of animal food consumed by all classes of people, and the free use of stimulating liquors of all kinds: for although drunkenness, it may be truly said, is a vice by no means common, yet the cheapness of spirituous and malt liquors, enables all classes to take freely of them, and hence they occasion complaints to assume a form, and certainly a degree of violence from which they might otherwise be free. We know nothing of those desolating low fevers, which so often prevail in the cities of Europe, among the labouring poor in confined courts and alleys, and but little of that long list of nervous diseases, (strictly so called) which abridge the lives of the higher class of society. Hence the lancet is oftener required than the stimulating draught; and hence too the reason why the European physician, whose circle of observation may have been confined chiefly to diseases of an opposite character, hears with astonishment of the depleting system of the United States, and especially of Philadelphia. From a variety of causes, a considerable change has taken place in the forms of our diseases within the last thirty years. 1. The proportional diminution in the use of animal food, the general abolition of hot family suppers by our citizens, and of tavern clubs, and the increas. ed use of vegetable aliment, have contributed to lessened the number of apoplexies, palsies, dropsies and other complaints depending upon repletion, and exposure to night air. 2. The substitution of malt liquors for punch which was formerly the fashionable beverage at noon, at dinner, and at supper; and the use of flannels, or muslin next the body, have expelled the dry gripes, formerly a fatal disease in Philadelphia. 3. The universal use of umbrellas and the increased use of high crowned hats, have lessened the diseases arising from the operation of the sun. 4. Vaccination is rapidly dispelling the loathsome small pox from the city. 5. The diminution of deaths from consumption has already been mentioned. 6. The increased cleanliness of the city. Bills of Mortality. Since the year 1806, the number of deaths, and the names of the diseases are ascertained with an accuracy highly desirable in every town, and especially in a populous city. By a law passed in the above year, the sextons of all churches or places of worship, are obliged, under a penalty, to obtain from the attending physician of a deceased person, or from some of the family, a certificate of the age and disorder of which he or she may have died, and the days of their death: and in like manner, a certificate is to be obtained from the city alms house, of the diseases of all who die therein, which certificates are to be delivered to the Board of Health, and by their order a weekly statement is made up and published in the newspapers, of the diseases and the ages of the deceased. At the end of the year, a general statement is published by the Board, From these the following result is composed. |