the labours of their very dangerous profeffion, as on this occafion. In little more than a month, exclufive of medical ftudents, no less than ten phyficians have been fwept off. Hardly any of the apothecaries, who remained in the city, efcaped from indifpofition. The venerable SAMUEL ROBESAN has been, like a good angel, indefatigably performing, in families where there was not one perfon able to help another, even the menial of fices of the kitchen, in every part of his neighbourhood. JOHN CONNELLY has spent hours befide the fick, when their own wives and children had abandoned them. Twice did he catch the diforder,-twice was he on the brink of the grave, which was yawning to receive him,—yet, unappalled by the imminent danger he had efcaped, he again returned to the charge.

To habits defectively OXYGENATED, as with tiplers and drunkards, and men of a corpulent habit, and women with child, this disorder proved very fatal. Of these many were feized, and the recoveries were very rare.

If you examine the register of the weather, you will find there was no rain from the 25th of Auguft until the 14th of October, except a few drops, hardly enough to lay the duft in the streets, which fell on the 9th of September, and the 12th of October. In confequence of which, the fprings and wells failed in many parts of the country.

The

The duft in fome places extended two feet below the furface of the ground. The paftures were deficient, or burnt up, and there was a scarcity of autumnal fruits in the neighbourhood of the city. The register of the weather fhews also how little the air was agitated by winds during the above time*. In vain were the changes of the moon expected to alter the state of the atmosphere. The light of the morning as conftantly mocked the hopes which were raised by a cloudy sky in the evening, Hundreds fickened each day beneath the influence of the fun; and even when his beams did not excite difeafe, they produced a languor in the body, and, to use the country phrafe, the labourer in the field gave in, and that too when the mercury in the thermometer was under 80 degrees. On the 12th of September a

However inoffenfive uniform heat, when agitated by gentle breezes, may be, there is, I believe, no record, where a dry and ftagnating air has existed for any length of time, without producing difeafe. HIPPOCRATES, in defcribing a peftilential fever, fays, the year in which it prevailed was without a breeze of wind. The fame state of the atmosphere, for fix weeks, is mentioned in many of the hiftories of the plague which prevailed in London in 1665. Even the fea-air itself becomes unwholesome by stagnating; hence Dr. CLARK informs us, that failors become fickly after long calms in their voyages to the Eaft Indies. Sir JOHN PRINGLE delivers the following aphorifm, from a number of fimilar obfervations upon this fubject: "When the heat comes on foon, and continues "throughout autumn, not moderated by winds or rains, the season "proves fickly, diftempers appear early, and are dangerous."

meteor

meteor affrighted the inhabitants. Mufchetoes were uncommonly numerous. Here and there a dead cat added to the impurity of the air of the streets; for many of thofe animals perifhed with hunger in the city, in confequence of fo many houfes being deferted by the inhabitants who had fled into the country.

From this table it appears that the principal mortality was in the fecond week of October. A general expectation had obtained, that cold weather was as deftructive of the contagion of this fever as heavy rains. The usual time for its arrival had come, but the weather was ftill not only moderate but warm. In this awful fituation, the stoutest hearts began to fail, Hope fickened, and defpair fucceeded distress in almost every countenance. On the 14th of October it pleafed God to alter the state of the air. The clouds at last dropped health in Showers of rain, which continued during the whole day, and which were fucceeded for feveral nights afterwards by cold and froft. The effects of this change in the weather appeared first in the fudden diminution of the fick, for the deaths continued for a week afterwards to be nearly as numerous, but they were of perfons who had been confined before, or on the day in which the change had taken place in the weather.

The appearance of this rain was like a dove with an olive branch in its mouth, to the whole city. Public notice was given of its beneficial effects in a letter fubfcribed by the mayor of Philadelphia, who acted as prefident of the committee, to the mayor of New York.

ΤΟ

SIR,

TO RICHARD VANCHE, ESQ.

"I am favoured with your letter of the "12th inftant, which I have communicated to "the Committee.

"The part, Sir, which you personally take in our afflictions, and which you have fo patheti"cally expreffed in your letter, excites in the "breafts of the Committee the warmest sensations "of affection. The fubfcription made in NEW YORK is a balm to the fores of our diftreffed city.

"I am overjoyed as I inform you, that the refreshing rain which fell on the 14th, though light, and the cool weather which hath succeeded, appear to have given a check to the prevalence "of the fever. Few fince appear to have taken "the infection; the applications for the hospital "are few, and the funerals are decreased.

"With fentiments of the greatest esteem and regard," &c.

On the 30th and 31ft of October there was a confiderable fall of rain. The fever was in confequence wholly fubdued. A vifible alteration foon took place in the city. Every hour long ab, sent and welcome faces appear, and, in many inftances, those of perfons whom public fame has buried for weeks paft. The ftores, fo long closed, are opening fast. Some of the country merchants,

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