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18
aside. It thus inevitably happens that many cases
varying extremely, and which, studied separately would
afford direct illustrations of different laws, when heaped
up together, conceal, instead of unfolding the truth.
In the particular question before us, what evidence
does direct medical observation supply ?
I am still entitled, even after the experience of the
past month, to point with confidence to the history of
the Dreadnought Hospital. The health of the residents
has been good ; the condition of the Hospital generally
is at least equal to that of hospitals ashore. Notwithstanding
a report on the subject, which has been much
misunderstood, no case of Fever, properly so called, has
arisen on board. The two cases mentioned in the report
referred to, were not cases of Fever. Two patients
suffered for a few days with slight febrile symptoms, of
a character quite distinct from Typhus, Typhoid, or any
specific form of Fever. Cases of a similar kind are
constantly occuri'ing in various parts of the metropolis,
remote from the river. Such are the great majority of
the 706 cases classed under the head " Fever" in Table
IV., which as I have explained in former reports, is a
general term necessarily used to embrace many of the
most trifling cases which apply to the Poor-Law Surgeons.
The very qualified opinion of the Assistant-Surgeon who
made the report, that the emanations from the river
had "something to do" with the production of thes