tillery regulations of last year, must, the committee conceive, have had a tendency to produce this increase; drunkenness which appears prevalent to an alarining degree, making the body more susceptible of disease, and less able of support under it.

The committee are unwilling to close this report without stating clearly to

the subscribers and public that while the number of patients have been for some years gradually increasing, the subscriptions have been at the same time falling off, and therefore they again entreat that funds may be afforded to support the institution in undiminished usefulness:

4

4

2

23 17 14

8

Opacitas Corneæ Otalgia

Palpitatio

Paralysis

Petechia

Phlegmone

Podagra

Porrigo

Phthesis

Prolapsus ani

Uteri

Prurigo Senilis

Psora

Psoropthalmia

Ptyalismus

Rachitis

Rheumatismus

Scrophula

Tabes mesenterica

1

3

35

2

6

8

...

...

...

...

47 17 45 118 65 849

The excellent observations annexed to the preceding annual catalogues, on the character, causes, and treatment of the diseases therein enumerated, have rendered any comment on the present almost superfluous, nor can it be necessary to make any other appeal to the humanity of the public, in favour of this institution, than the exhibition of the list, of more than nine thousand of the most wretched members of society, relieved by its operation, from the most oppressive part of the burden of poverty; such a list will prove, that the generosity of those who have hitherto been its supporters has not been ill directed, by

demonstrating the necessity of such an institution, and the success which has attended its benevolent efforts. It will be a source of additional gratification, upon examining the na ture of the diseases enumerated in this report, to find, that they are chiefly in that class which most imperiously demands, and at the same time yields most certainly to the aid of medicine.

The amount of our patients in the present catalogue, appears to exceed considerably, that in any former report. Indeed the year 1810 was one peculiarly calamitous to the unfortunate objects of our institution; it is well known to the public

through the reports published by the - committee of the Cork-street Fever Hospital, that a fever was diffused through the lowest rank of the population of this city, to an extent which could be but imperfectly counteracted by that comprehensive institution. This may, in part, have arisen from the circumstances of our national distresses, although other causes must have contributed their influence, as the diseases appeared to be most readily communicated to children. Although this epidemic was so extensive in its range, it was not attended with any uncommon symptoms, and therefore did not require any peculiarity of treatment; attention to the state of the prima vie, in the first stages of the disease, and the moderate use of cordials in the latter, proving generally salutary.

The great and sudden changes of temperature throughout every part of the year, produced those disorders which have contributed to swell the present catalogue to so large an ainount. Of most of these the treatment is so well understood as to render it unnecessary to offer any remark of my own, and it is painful to advert to the rest, against which the resources of medicine have been but too unsuccessfully directed. I shall only therefore observe with respect to one of these, that I have found, that aloetic purgatives have often afforded very remarkable relief in both the acute and the chronic forms of rheumatism. After a free use of these, the cinchona either alone, or combined with the tartrate of antimony has rarely failed to relieve the most obstinate attacks. This last combination indeed seems to merit attention as a very powerful diaphoretic.

In intermittent fevers accompanied with inflammatory affections of the lungs, when the use of the cincho

na alone, would probably have been injurious, the addition of the tartrate of antimony has allowed it to be used freely with considerable advantage.

Although the number of cases of small por continues to be nearly the same in our annual reports, it is evident that it bears a continually decreasing proportion to the others on the list. A sufficient proof that the disease is gradually yielding to the influence of the vaccine antidote.

In our reports we have constantly reason to express our chagrin at the disappointment we often meet with in our efforts to subdue the various forms of the dropsy, a disease to which the poor inhabitants of Dubin are peculiarly subject. The usual routine of practice is well known, and is too often tried in vain upon our patients to allow us much ground for confidence; many of our palliatives contribute to increase that debility of the system, which so often pre-disposes to this dangerous malady, and the medicines which are found most efficacious in some instances; proving of little avail in others. Hence, it is not without diffidence that I mention, that the use of nitrous acid has appeared to me to remove the complaint from some, to whom all the usual medicines had been administered with unavailing assiduity. It is known that this acid often unites the virtues of a tonic and diuretic-In many of the forms of dyspepsia, the use of the same acıl has procured an obvious and long continued relief; in a few others, frictions over the stomach, especially with the olcum ammoniatum, have been attended with sensible advantage; it is unnecessary to add, that, unloading the first passages and maintaining their healthy action, by the operation of cathartics, are of the hightest importance.