southern ports of the Union, except New-Orleans, only one hundred and sixty-one patients with various complaints were received, twenty-seven of whom died, and eleven of that number with yellow fever.

From the foregoing facts, the following are some of the brief inferences that may be drawn for the improvement of our quarantine laws. First, that the second class of vessels were as healthy this year as those coming from Europe, and, therefore, a discretionary power ought to be given to the board of health to permit them to come to the wharves, when, from the report of the health officer, they are convinced that no danger can arise therefrom. Such as vessels from the south of Europe, within the straits of Gibraltar, with clean bills of health: from Madeira and the Canaries, with wines; from the Cape de Verd Islands, with salt; from some parts of South America and India; for these places are generally healthy, and when they are not, the climate has its full effect upon the crew before their arrival; so that the evil to be apprehended from these vessels would be immediately observed; whereas, if the passage could be performed in ten or fifteen days, as frequently takes place with vessels from the West Indies, the danger from them might not appear until some time after their arrival.

Secondly, That there is no risk from vessels coming from Europe, except pestilence prevails at the ports whence they sailed, or they are crowded with passengers, who are liable to ship fever, as happened in the year 1801, when near eight hundred patients, with this disease were sent to the marine hospital, 155 of whom died, and only two persons engaged in the health department escaped the

contagion, although great care was taken to prevent it by ventilation, cleanliness, &c.

Thirdly, The southern coasters do not bring here yel low fever without it prevails at the port of departure, but intermittent and bilious malignant fever.

Fourthly, From West India vessels we are to look for the introduction of yellow fever, and the utmost vigilance is requisite to examine, cleanse and purify them, before they can with safety be permitted to come to the city at the season when pestilence has usually prevailed; but our health laws are more oppressive, as it regards them, than any quarantine system I am acquainted with, inasmuch as they do not admit, that a vessel coming from a sickly port, or having a person who died on board with malignant fever, arriving after the first of June, (although death might have occurred twelve months preceding) can be purified until the first of October; after which, experience has taught us, that no yellow fever has ever commenced its ravages here. Therefore, a vessel may be detained one hundred and twenty days at quarantine, and the last season afforded an instance of one kept there one hundred and fifteen days, which vessel could have been properly cleaned and rendered safe in one quarter of the time. This part of our quarantine system ought to be more discriminating, and not subject a vessel from Turks Island, or any of the neighboring islands, with a cargo of salt only, to the same restrictions which are imposed on vessels coming from those islands where yellow fever frequently prevails.

Many alterations are also required to make the true

import of the law understood, and to render it more ef fectual in securing the public health and commercial prosperity of this city; which can be better pointed out by a revision of those laws, than in this report.

I have the honour to be, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant,

JOSEPH BAYLEY, Health Officer.

Extract of a Letter from J. BOSTOCK, M D. &c. addressed to Doctor DAVID HOSACK, of New-York. Dated Knotshole Bank, near Liverpool, February 4th, 1811.

"Two important papers have been read lately before the Liverpool medical society, which are not yet published: one on chorea, by Dr. M'Cartray, who has been uniformly successful in treating this often obstinate disease, by blisters, applied as near as possible to the part affected, or to the part whence the nerves originate. The other paper is by an intelligent member of our society, Mr. Perry, who has removed, in two well marked and acute cases, the tic doloreux, simply by the affusion of cold water. The attention, not only of the medical, but of the unmedical world has of late been strongly excited by the proposal to cure asthma by smoking stramonium; the practice has been very extensively tried, and there appears no reason to doubt that it has an effect in relieving the paroxysm; but it does not seem to diminish their frequency. However, it is no inconsiderable object to procure even temporary ease. Has the hop been tried as a narcotic with you, the extract of rhatany as a tonic, or the oxide of bismuth for pains of the

stomach? These are articles of the materia medica that have been recommended upon very respectable authority. But the most extraordinary novelty in practice is that of copious and repeated bleeding for the cure of diabetes. The practice has been, to a certain extent, confirmed in the Manchester infirmary, under Dr. Bardsley and Dr. Henry. It is now pretty generally admitted, that animal diet will cause the saccharine matter to disappear from the urine, and will diminish its quantity, but that it will not eradicate the disease."

The American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia.

The American Philosophical Society, held at Philadelphia, for promoting useful knowledge, has elected, during the year 1810, the following gentlemen, members of that institution :

DOMESTIC.

GEORGE GIBBS, Esq. Boston.

WILLIAM JOHNSON, Charleston, (S. C.) one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States.

J. H. BRINTON, Philadelphia.

REV. WILLIAM BENTLY, Salem.

JOHN DAVIS, Secretary of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Boston.

CHARLES I. WISTAR, Philadelphia.

DAVID HOSACK, M. D. Professor of Botany and Materia Medica, Columbia College, New-York.

FOREIGN.

HUMPHREY DAVY, Esq. F. R. S. Secretary of the Royal Institų. tion, &c. &c. London.

JOHN HAIGHTON, M. D. &c. London:

JOHN MASON GOOD, Esq. London:

A. VAUQUELIN, Paris.

Report of the Physician of the Kine Pock Institution of

New-York.

Since the last communication presented the Board, by the former physician of this department, one hundred and sixty-nine persons have gratuitously received the benefit of vaccination at this institution. Reference to the "Kine Pock Register" will give all the particulars relative to the age of each individual, the place of residence, period of vaccination, and every other circumstance connected with the ultimate result of each case, It may be proper, however, to state, that this disease has, as usual, in no instance proved fatal; neither has it been accompanied with or succeeded by those eruptive complaints, which popular opinion has connected with, or seems to have considered as necessarily attendant on even the mildest form of this disease. Notwithstanding this favourable result, and the benefits arising from vaccination, it is a matter of regret, that comparatively few (more especially during the last four months) have availed themselves of the opportunities which this institution presents. It is presumed that an equal degree of attention has been bestowed upon this department of the Dispensary as heretofore; and that public confidence in the benefits of vaccination had not been lessened. It is, therefore, probable that this neglect on the part of parents, especially among the lower class of the community, has chiefly arisen from the almost total disappearance of the small pox; for with regard to this last disease, it is a subject of great satisfaction to observe, that since the last reports there have occurred but few sporadic cases; and that it has in only two or three instances proved fatal. But as we have no security against the