just received from London. Some addition has also been made to the chemical apparatus. Both courses will be given in the evening.

Appointment in Harvard University.

The honourable, the Board of Overseers of HARVARD UNIVERSITY, have confirmed the appointment of the Reverend JOHN THORNTON KIRKLAND, D. D. as president of that institution, in the place of the Reverend SAMUEL WEBBER, D. D. lately deceased.

Observations on the Weather of the City of New-York, for the months of July, August, and September, 1810.

east.

JULY.

The weather from the 1st to the 6th of this month was of a moderate temperature, clear, and agreeable, wind chiefly from the southward. On the 6th it became cloudy, and continued so until the night of the 7th, when we had a considerable quantity of rain. Much rain also fell on the 8th, accompanied with a strong wind from the northFrom the 8th until the 15th inclusive, the weather was variable, at times extremely hot and oppressive ; frequent falls of rain, and very little wind. The thermometer was several days as high as 83 at 3 o'clock, in the shade. From the 15th to the close of the month an uncommon quantity of rain fell; and though the showers were unusually heavy, there was little thunder or wind. The thermometer during this time was generally at summer heat.

AUGUST.

August set in with very little variation in the weather; the warm and sultry days which were so oppressive the greater part of July were frequently experienced. On the 6th, however, it became clear, the evenings were cool, and refreshing breezes from the south-west; at midday the thermometer varied from 70 to 78, in the shade. This weather continued until the 11th. On the 11th and 12th it became extremely oppressive, during which time we had several showers. On the night of the 13th the rain fell in torrents. The thermometer on the 12th and 13th, at 7 A. M. was 76, at 3 P. M. 83, and at 7 P. M. 77. The two following days were again cooler; wind northerly. From the 15th to the 21st, overcast, and oftentimes there was rain, the mercury in the thermometer from 66 to 76. On the 21st, a most violent north-east storm, which continued with little intermission all day and night, until 2 P. M. of the 22d. The cellars of those houses situated in the neighbourhood of docks were inundated, and in many other parts of the city the same circumstance took place; the cisterns overflowed, and the yards were filled with water. Thermometer on the 22d, at 3 P. M. was 70. On the night of the 24th there was another very heavy shower. The wind now changed to the south-west, and though at the early parts of the day the atmosphere was humid, it was not so oppressive; there was however little wind. On the 30th, the thermometor stood at 7 A. M. at 60, at 3 P. M. 73, and at 7 P. M. at 64. This was lower than on any other day this month.

SEPTEMBER.

We had many clear, cool, and agreeable days from the 2d till the 12th of September. Wind chiefly south-west:

thermometer varying between 69 and 78 at 3 P. M.

west.

On

the 12th a heavy shower of rain fell, and another on the 14th. It now became cooler, and from the 15th to the 18th we had refreshing breezes from the north and northFrom the 18th to the 26th the weather was extremely disagreeable. A north-easterly storm prevailed nearly the whole time, though the quantity of rain that fell was by no means great. The thermometer at the same time was unusually low for the season. On the morning of the 24th, at 7 o'clock it stood at 54, at 3 P. M. at 56, and at 7 P. M. at 55. The weather for the remaining days of the month was clear and pleasant. Wind chiefly from the south-west.

Observations on the Diseases of July, August
and September.

Upon examining the bills of mortality published by the corporation, the records of the city dispensary, and those of our private practice, we find that the diseases of the last three months have consisted chiefly of intermitting, remitting, and typhus fevers; diseases of the bowels, viz. colic, cholera morbus, diarrhæa, and dysentery. In each of the three months, we have also observed, and what is unusual at this season, a great number of inflammatory complaints, particularly catarrh, pneumonia, and rheumatism; no less than twenty-one cases of the last disease are recorded in the practice of the dispensary alone. Some instances of hamoptysis were also met with in our private practice, in which we have experienced great advantage from the active use of cathartics, the practice lately recommended in.

various diseases by Dr. Hamilton, of Edinburgh.* Some cases of opthalmia, cynanche tonsillaris, and enteritis, have also been noticed among our inflammatory complaints; fuor albus has also in several instançes occurred, and which appears to have been greatly aggravated by, if not altogether the effect of, debility induced by heat. In the treatment of this disease, we have found more benefit from the use of injections of the sulphate of zinc, in the proportion of three grains to the ounce, than from any other remedy we have prescribed; at the same time, however, the usual tonic remedies, viz. cold bathing, general and local, bitters, &c. were made use of. In a late number of the Journal de Medicine, an injection composed of the bark of the root of the elm, boiled in red wine, has been very successfully prescribed in the same complaint by Mons. Pingusson.

Some

Phthisis pulmonalis has been attended with its usual' fatality within the period mentioned; no less than eightyfive deaths are recorded from this disease alone. cases, where the physician has been called in in the forming or inflammatory stage of this disorder, have yielded to the free and repeated use of the lancet, blisters, and emetics; after which exercise, especially a journey into the country at a distance from the sea shore, with a nutritious diet, and the use of bitters, have completely restored the patient to health. But in the majority of cases of this disease which present themselves to the physician, he can do little more than alleviate some of its most distressing symptoms.

Another disorder of a very fatal nature in this climate, especially in the summer and fall months, is the cholera * See his valuable work on the use of Purgatives.

infantum. From this disease, without enumerating other bowel complaints, eighty-six children have perished within the last three months. Our numerous opportunities of observing this complaint during the past summer, have convinced us of the propriety of considering it as similar to the bilious remittent of adults; and that it very properly is denominated by Dr. Butter the infantile remittent fever. Dr. Mann, of Wrentham, (Mass.) in his valuable prize dissertation on the autumnal diseases of children, which work we earnestly recommend to the notice of every practitioner of medicine, has taken a similar view of this disease; accordingly, instead of prescribing anodyne and astringent mixtures to lessen the discharges by the bowels, which are probably the effect of the general excitement of the system occasioned by the heat of the season, and frequently the additional irritation of teething, we more rationally direct those remedies which are calculated to allay the general febrile excitement, and thereby to remove the irritations of the intestinal canal. Accordingly, it has been found that the most successful mode of treatment is in the first instance to empty the stomach and bowels by small doses of ipecacuanha and rhubarb. Calomel and antimonial medicines are also frequently prescribed with good effect in this stage of the disease. When the stomach and bowels are freely evacuated by these means, if the fever continues, small doses of ipecacuanha may still be continued with advantage, for the purpose of preserving a perspirable state of the surface of the body. Warm bathing is also at this time made use of with advantage. When the febrile symptoms are removed, weak brandy and water, or port wine and water, beef tea, the liquor of clams or oysters, are most grateful at the