Thomas Beddoes to Henry Jeffreys and others, 28 March 1803
Sir,
As there always arises a general desire to be satisfied whether prevailing disorders are contagious or not; – as the affirmative and negative have been publickly maintained here concerning the passing epidemic; – and as a successful method of prevention, if prevention be possible, depends upon an accurate determination of this point, I take the liberty of addressing the following queries to you – with a wish to be allowed to print your opinion along with that of various other practitioners. If it should not be agreeable to you to return an answer with such permission, I trust you will excuse this trouble. My desire is to be corrected, if wrong, and supported if right, as well as to enable the public to form a just opinion on a matter of common concern.
I am, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
Thomas Beddoes
Clifton.
28th March, 1803.
P.S. If you favor me with an answer, may I beg that it may be written on the blank spaces of this paper, and that the paper may be returned in a few days.
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1. Are you able to judge from your own observations whether the Influenza is contagious, or otherwise?
2. What was the nature of the observations that fixed your opinion?
3. On comparing a number of cases, do you think the influenza distinguishable from a common catarrh?
4. In single instances, did not the symptoms so much resemble those of common catarrh as to render you doubtful whether they belonged to that or to the influenza?
5. On various occasions, was there not greater and more sudden depression that is almost every seen in common catarrh; and did not the disorder appear, at various times, in almost all the gradations from pneumonia to low fever?
6. On what day did you see the first case of well-marked influenza? – and on what day the last?
Address: Mr Jeffreys / Surgeon / North St
Postmark: Bristol
Printed: J. Mills, Printer, St. Augustine’s Back.
MS: Printed Letter, Richard Smith Papers, Biographical Memoirs, Volume 5, 1784–1789, Bristol Archives 35893/36/e_i.