From this it is evident that upwards of a thousand cases were admitted when the disease had already reached its second stage. Dr. Choppin further states, that 168 of these cases were in articulo mortis when admitted. He estimates that about 7 per cent. of all the cases of black vomit in the hospital this year recovered. This, if true, is extraordinary.

Dr. Jewell, of Philadelphia, gives a table of 44 cases of yellow fever in that city last summer, which shows a mortality of 80 per cent. Of 11 cases treated in the Pennsylvania Hospital, 4 recovered. In the Blockley Hospital, there were 3 cases, and 1 recovery.

*

It is difficult to draw anything like a fair comparison between the results of treatment in the Charity Hospital and in private practice, on account of the advanced stage of disease in which patients generally are when they apply for admission, especially in yellow fever and cholera. For the latter disease they seldom apply until they are on the verge of collapse, and too often when perfectly hopeless. Fifty per cent. is about the general average of mortality from yellow fever at this hospital in epidemic seasons. Sometimes it is much greater.

SISTERS OF CHARITY.

I have ascertained from enquiry of the acting sister Superior, that when this epidemic broke out, there were twenty-two sisters of charity on duty at this hospital. Of these, 15 never had yellow fever previously, and 7 had. Six took the fever this year, and four of them died.

Of the 9 sisters who have escaped yellow fever thus far, 1 has been here 19 years, with the exception of 3 years absence;

1 has been here 16 years (continually.)

1

66

13 years.
3 years.

2

years.

*Quarterly Summary of the Transactions of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Octo. ber, 1853.

Of the recoveries, 1 had been in the hospital 3 years, and 1 two

1 year.
3 months.

Of the 7 who had had the fever previously

2 had been here 10 years; had it in 1843–4.

1

66

11 years;

66

1842.

2

66

years;

1852.

66 7 years;

1847.

1

1

These statistics afford but little support to the advocates of contagion. The sisters of charity in this institution do not nurse the patients, but are very often in the wards, and direct the administration of all the prescriptions.

I will now give such reports and statistics as I have been able to procure from the other hospitals, prisons, asylums, and benevolent societies in the city, and first

THE MAISON DE SANTE.

This was formerly Dr. Stone's private infirmary, but is now in the possession of the Sisters of Charity, who keep it in beautiful style. They employ Dr. Stone and Dr. Wedderstrandt as consulting Surgeons, and Dr. Boyer as resident physician. We are indebted to the politeness of the latter gentleman for the following interesting report:

Dr. Fenner-Dear Sir:-At your request I send you the number of admissions and deaths of yellow fever, in the Maison de Sante, during the epidemic of 1853. Very respectfully,

P. C. BOYER, Resident Physician.

At the Maison de Sante, the first case of yellow fever was admitted on the 13th of July; from that time until the disappearance of the epidemic, the admissions of yellow fever amounted to 338; the deaths during the same time, 97. Among the number discharged cured there were fifteen cases of black vomit.

Six of the Sisters of Charity connected with this institution were unacclimated; three of the number recovered from yellow fever, the others passed through the epidemic without being attacked.* Maison de Sante, N.O., Nov. 11, 1853.

THE TOURO INFIRMARY.

This is a new hospital, which has been established within the last year or two, by the munificence of the venerable Mr. Touro, one of our oldest citizens, and one who has used his immense

*There were seven sisters in the house. Those attacked had been the longest in the city, though not over three years. Two of those who escaped had come from the North in March last.

wealth more for the improvement of the city than perhaps any one who has ever lived here. The infirmary which has the honor of bearing his name is under the exclusive control of Dr. J. Bensadon, who has politely furnished me the following report on yellow fever:

Yellow fever cases from July 1st to November 1st:

Three recovered from black vomit, 13 from hiccup and hæmorrhage; 109 died with black vomit.

Of the 213 deaths, 26 died within 10 hours after their admission; 38 within 24; and 24 within 48.

A large number of the yellow fever cases in this infirmary were sent there by the Howard Association and the Hebrew Benevolent Society. Under all the circumstances, I consider the success of Dr. Bensadon in the late epidemic highly creditable. The infirmary is situated on old Levee street, just above St. Mary's Market.

CITY WORKHOUSE AND HOUSES OF REFUGE.

We are indebted to Dr. John F. Thorp, the attending physician, for the following reports of the first ten cases of yellow fever that occurred in each of these institutions.

CITY WORKHOUSE,

Situated on Hevia street, in the back part of the city, parallel with the Charity Hospital. The inmates are chiefly males, condemned to work for short periods as punishment. Dr. Thorp gives the date of admission into the workhouse, the date of attack, and the results.

Total number of cases treated in this place, 89, Deaths, 14.

BOYS' HOUSE OF REFUGE.

This institution adjoins the City Workhouse. The first case

of yellow fever that occurred here was on the 22d of June, in a boy who had been in the house one year. The next five cases had also been confined there one year. There were twenty-one cases in all, of which six died.

GIRLS' HOUSE OF REFUGE,

Situated on Apollo street, near Triton walk.

The first two cases occurred on the 1st of July. There were twenty-one cases in all, of which only one died, and she a matron who had been in the house for several months. Dr. Thorp appends the following remarks on the cases in this institution:

These persons had all been in the Refuge for some months, and from this fact I believe the disease originated there; or rather, that their isolated condition did not protect them from the general cause, or epidemic influence, prevailing at the time. Both Houses of Refuge were in bad condition as to cleanliness.

CITY PRISON, PARISH JAIL AND LUNATIC ASYLUM, AND BOYS'

HOUSE OF REFUGE.

Dr. E. Sabatier is the city physician for the Second and Third Districts, and has charge of all these establishments. On account of recent bad health, Dr. S. cannot at this time furnish a full and minute account of the yellow fever at these places, but has kindly given me a few notes, which I deem worthy of insertion. There was more yellow fever in the City Jail and Parish Prison this year than ever before.

The first case occurred about the last of July, in a man who had been in the prison about three months; and had been treated for intermittent fever about two months previously. At the time above stated, he was taken out to court for trial, or something of the kind. Whilst there he was attacked with yellow fever, and taken back to the prison. His attack proved a severe one, attended with hemorrhage and yellowness, but he finally recovered.

About a week afterwards another case occurred, in a man who had not nursed, or been about the first case. From this time cases continued to multiply, till they reached the number of thirty, of which five died. There were about three hundred prisoners in the jail at this time, and there was free intercommunication amongst them; in fact, they were kept together within very narrow limits. There were two rooms set apart for the hospital, in one of which the yellow fever patients were kept by themselves. Before this was done, however, several were attacked with yellow fever, who had been placed in hospital for other complaints. If the disease were really infectious, it appears strange

that only thirty out of three hundred should have taken it under circumstances so favorable.

The Lunatic Asylum is a department of the Parish Prison, and is used chiefly as a temporary resort for lunatics previous to their being sent up to the State Asylum at Jackson. There were from thirty to forty inmates during the summer, much crowded; no separate apartment for the sick. There were nine cases of yellow fever amongst them, and no death. The first two cases occurred on the same day (August 6th), in persons who had been in only a few days. The next case occurred on the 10th of August in a man who nursed the first two. There was then a lapse of nineteen days before another case occurred. He had been in the Asylum ever since the 8th of January previous. The last case occurred on the 1st of October..

upon the sick,

Most of the cases occurred in those who waited but they were all in such close quarters that there could not be much difference in the amount of intercourse.

The Boys' House of Refuge of the Third District is situated on the Gentilly road, quite in the country, about three miles from the city prison.

Dr. Sabatier says there was a good deal of yellow fever among the inhabitants around the Asylum, but only one case occurred in the Refuge.

PRIVATE INFIRMARIES OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.

The Board of Health established four temporary hospitals during the worst of the epidemic, one in each district of the city. I have before me reports of two of them, viz: No. 1 and No. 4, which furnish the following statistics:

No. 1....
No. 4..

..received 343 cases, and lost 155.
.received 432 cases, and lost 207.

I have not been able to collect any information from the other hospitals and asylums in the city.

HOWARD ASSOCIATION.

This far-famed benevolent Association consists of but thirty members, is a chartered institution, and has been in existence ever since the year 1837. The following statistics are taken from Dr. Bennet Dowler's "Tableau of the Yellow Fever of 1853," published in Cohen's New Orleans Directory for 1854."

"According to the report of the Howard Association, published late in December, the Society had under its care, during the epidemic of 1853, no less than 11,088 yellow fever patients-5,203 males, 5,885 females; of whom 2,942 died, and 8,146 were cured. Expenditure, $159,190 32. Average for each patient about four