Leprosy.
A considerable part of the Mosaical code, politically and medicinally, is pointed against this disease. It is now, in a great degree, eradicated and worn out of Europe. After the Crusades, in the twelfth century, Europe was overspread with this hideous judaical scurf, imported from Palestine. Lazarettoes for the confinement of the unclean, were then numerous in many kingdoms: in France alone there were two thousand. At present, in the cold northern island, Iceland, a sort of leprosy is congenial to the natives, from their diet, climate, and mode of life. And in the history of the late discoveries in the Pacific Ocean, we read of a leprous scurf infesting the natives, from their excessive indulgence in a hot spice amongst their food. In our island, at this day, a considerable number are afflicted with a disgusting cutaneous scurf; but greatly inferior in virulence to the Asiatic leprosy. The absolute mortality in the London bills by this disease, is almost undeserving of notice.
[TO THE READER.]
We must here abruptly, and with regret, but for obvious reasons, the size to which this Publication is already swelled, cut off the remainder of our comments, amounting to nearly one hundred pages more. Those left behind unnoticed of the last group, comprehend most of the chronic cutaneous diseases, the subjects, peculiarly, of the Cosmetic Art. Through the last group of external accidents and diseases, I meant to have persevered in my general plan. For instance, under Gangrene, I should have discriminated the ages, mortality, cures; and at the same time, that originating from external injuries, or surgical operations, and that from spontaneous corruption. Under Fractures, I should have gauged the success and miscarriage of amputation, both after sudden accidents, and in consequence of chronic diseases. This is a most important part of military surgery, and I believe, in a great measure, unexplored. From the trepan and lithotomy, I should also have stated the blanks and prizes. With the surgical group I am obliged to omit the casualties of London: one alone of which I could not entirely postpone, without introducing a few observations in this place, that is the Executed.
Executed.
Murder, robbery, sedition, and war, are amongst the principal political casualties, chronic distempers, fevers, and frenzies of every nation. In ascertaining the numbers executed, particularly, the London bills of mortality are shamefully erroneous and defective. As I thought it a casualty of infinite importance to be exactly stated and recorded, I made numerous efforts to procure authentic information, by successively and repeatedly waiting upon the Keeper of Newgate, the Clerk of the Arraigns, the Clerk of the Peace for the County, the Town-Clerk of London, the Sheriff’s office of London, and the Secretary of State’s. Throughout this inquiry I was every where treated with liberality and urbanity; and where there was any prospect of information, was permitted access to the records. But, to my astonishment and mortification, I could not find any vestige of records of executions in London before 1754. These were in the Clerk of Arraigns’ office, but were buried in a heap of extraneous law rubbish; and to extract which, the Clerk of the Arraigns told me, it would require three entire days for myself and one of his clerks. I called twice at the Old Bailey, anxious to undertake this task, however laborious; but it so happened, that at both times they were full of business in the office, and could not spare time, nor even room, for my inquiry. By other means, I have come near part of the truth. (Vid. [Chart].)
The two first columns, from 1732 to 1762, are formed from an average of executions, during twenty-two years of that interval, by Sir Theodore Jansen, Chamberlain of London. The last column, of fifteen years, is formed from an average of the last seven years, with which Mr. Akerman politely furnished me, from his books. In consequence of the riots and conflagration in 1780, his records were all consumed, and do not include that year, wherein there was a notorious glut of executions. During the seven years, beginning with 1781, the executed in Mr. Akerman’s books were 439. But every one knows that there are two theatres, a great and a small one, appropriated for human slaughter in this metropolis; these are Tyburn, now removed to Newgate; and for the large Borough of Southwark, Kennington Common. I took a low average of the executions in the latter, allotting three annually, to the two first columns, and six to the last column, and added the whole together. Amongst the London malefactors there are a few pirates, whose crimes are cognizable in the Admiralty Court.