"4. In 1625, a hard frosty winter, summer wet and hot; 1626 and 1627 excessively hot summers; 1630 and 1631, a great drought; the other years wet until 1634. In 1625 the plague killed thirty-five thousand four hundred and seventeen in London; it raged in Denmark both in 1625 and 1629; as also in 1625 in Leyden. In 1632 inflammations of the jaws prevailed, with an erysipelas in one or more parts of the body.

"5. In 1634, an excessively frosty winter; 1635, 1636, 1637, and 1638, very hot and dry summers; then very rainy years until 1643. In 1635 the plague in Leyden, and the camp fever spread all over Germany. In 1636 the plague was in London, whereof died thirteen thousand four hundred and eighty; in 1637, the plague in Denmark.

"6. The years 1643 and 1645 were remarkable for hot summers, followed by inconstant rainy seasons until

1650. In 1648 a fatal malignant fever was spread by the armies all over England; 1644, a malignant epidemic fever in Denmark; a similar fever in England, in which there was a roughness and sliminess of the throat and jaws, with pain, but scarcely any swelling or inflammation: it seemed only a mere defluction, by which the sick seemed choked, and for which astringent gargles were useful. In 1650 a general catarrh prevailed.

"7. The years 1651 and 1659 had both very hot summers, and proved mostly dry; thence to 1655 very wet. The winters of 1651 and 1658 remarkably cold. In 1651, in the country about Rome, a contagious epidemic quinsey prevailed, and made terrible slaughter among children. A small ulcer arose in the mouth, for which juice of wood sorrel,syrup of pomegranates, with the bark, and chiefly the acid of vitriol, were useful. All that took these medicines recovered; but those who were not tractable, and refused medicines, died: it did not seize adults, nor the aged. In 1654 the plague was in Denmark; and in 1655, and the two following years, it prevailed exceedingly in the south of Europe; the agues likewise of these hot years were malignant, and spotted fevers were very common. In 1664, after a mild rainy winter, a malignant purple fever raged in Prussia, and killed great numbers under twelve years of age, those only escaping who had no inflammation or oedematous tumour in the throat. Such as recovered, after sweating, had scales peeling off the skin; then adults had a swelling over their body and of their belly, which continued several weeks like leucophlegmatia, and then went off by sweat and urine. This epidemic seems a considerable deviation from their general progress laid down in the scheme of them already mentioned, and is, therefore, particularly noticed in this place.

"8. In 1665, an excessively severe frost, which continued to the end of March, summer temperate; 1666, a very hot dry year, followed by two as wet and cold. In 1665, immediately after the frost, began the plague in London, which killed, according to the least computation, sixty-eight thousand five hundred and ninety-six. Since that time the plague has vanished from London, and all other epidemics seem to have become less malignant, owing to many causes; among which may, perhaps, be a greater use of fresh vegetable food, a less use of fish, an universal use of tea, superior cleanliness in our persons, a greater attention to the poor in times of scarcity, which are now scarcely felt in any extreme degree, and, lastly, the tremendous fire in 1666, since which the streets have been very much widened, and the houses so enlarged, that the same number of inhabitants now occupy above double the space. In 1667 an epidemic fever, with aphthae, prevailed in Holland, in which acids were useful, but neither bleeding nor purging.

"9. In 1669, the summer intolerably hot, after which the winter was as severely cold and frosty; 1670, a severe frosty winter; the rest of this constitution bad and wet. In 1669 a most fatal fever prevailed, with slimy tongue, sore mouth, etc. in which bleeding was hurtful, but acids and laxatives very beneficial. Sydenham does not mention this fever, nor its return in 1678, although, next to the plague, they were the greatest epidemics in his time; which, together with his little knowledge of putrid fevers, can only be attributed to his practice lying about the court; whilst Morton, who practised in the city, gives abundant proofs that putrid complaints were as prevalent then as at this time. The same year, in Norway, malignant measles are said to have prevailed, with thrush, which, if mismanaged or neglected, ended in a fatal mortification. In 1675 a coryza, or cough, were prevalent.

"10. In 1678, summer and harvest droughty, hot, and clear; 1679, winter long, severe frost, and intensely cold; 1680 and 1681, summer extremely dry and hot; the next two years rainy. In 1678 the same fever and sore throat prevailed as in 1669. In 1679, after a most deluging October, a catarrh was universal. (In 1682, sphacelated tongues and angina maligna prevailed among cattle; in the same year, in Dublin, a fatal petechial fever.

"11. The year 1684 was remarkable for the severest frost remembered at that time, succeeded by a very dry and hot summer, to which 1686 bore a near resemblance: the other years were rainy till 1691. In 1684 spotted fevers, particularly of the miliary kind, were common. This and the following year of 1685 are remarkable for the greatest number of burials; from 1665 to 1714, although 1684 does not contain St. James's, Westminster, and neither 1684 nor 1685 contain St. Ann's, Westminster, nor St. John's, Wapping, parishes, which are inserted in every following bill of mortality, and which then buried above sixteen hundred annually at a medium. In 1688 an epidemic catarrh prevailed all over Europe.

"12. A frosty winter in 1691, and excessively hot and dry summer. The same in 1694, the other years rainy and variable. In 1691 a fatal spotted fever prevailed; in 1693 an universal catarrh; and in 1695 the hooping cough.

"13. Of 1698, an exceedingly hard frost in the winter; the rest of this constitution rather rainy. In October, 1698, began a fatal contagious spotted fever, which spread all over England. Coughs attended most of the diseases in 1703.

"14. The year 1704 was excessively dry, so that the grass was burnt up; this continued until August 15,1705; the rest of this constitution cold and wet. In 1704 malignant spotted fevers were common. In 1708 coughs and coryzas prevailed every where, so that few escaped.

"15. In 1709, great frost all over Europe, and even in Portugal; 1712, a very frosty winter; the rest of this constitution variable. In 1709 the plague broke out in Dantzick, immediately after the thaw, and killed twenty four thousand five hundred and fifty-three. In 1710 the plague in Copenhagen killed twenty-five thousand. In 1712, sore throats universal in July and August, with dizziness and pains of the limbs, in London.

"16. The year 1714, and the six succeeding years, were all dry, with hot summers. In the winter of 1716 so severe a frost that the Thames was covered with booths; that of 1718 likewise very frosty; the rest to 1731, cold, wet, and variable, except 1723, which was cold and dry; and 1729, which was a cold dry winter, followed by a hot dry summer. In 1720 the plague killed sixty thousand in Marseilles. In 1729 an universal epidemic catarrh prevailed in November.

"17. The year 1731 was a very dry one, which continued until harvest 1732; summer of 1733 rather dry and pleasant, as was most of 1738; the remainder of this constitution extremely wet. In the beginning of 1733 was an epidemic catarrh; 1737, 1738, and 1739, were all much affected with catarrhal fevers, especially among children.

"18. In 1740 was the severest frosty winter and spring that had happened for three hundred years; 1741, extremely dry hot summer; 1742, a variable, but dry, year; the rest of this constitution wet or variable. In 1740 a malignant petechial fever made great havock in Bristol, and in Galway in Ireland. In 1741 it reached London, where this and the last year were the most mortal ever known, except when the plague reigned, the burials amounting to sixty two thousand nine hundred and eighty. In 1742 the putrid sore throat broke out. In March, 1744, an epidemic catarrh was universal, and was more fatal than usual.

"19. In 1747, there was an excessively hot dry summer; 1750, a dry year throughout and intensely hot summer; the rest of this constitution moderate, variable, or wet. In 1747, and the succeeding years, the sore throat seemed to acquire new vigour, alarming the inhabitants of these kingdoms very much. In November, 1758, there was an universal epidemic catarrh.

"20. The year 1760 was droughty from June 26 to September 16; the end of that and the following year severely wet, as was the end of 1763 and beginning of 1764; the rest of this constitution moderate. In April and May, 1762, a most epidemic catarrh.

"21. A very dry year, and rather hot summer in 1765, as was the next year, though not quite so much so; the remainder of this constitution moderate years, rather inclining to wet. During this constitution no very remarkable epidemic till the universal catarrh in November, 1775, unless we reckon such, the small pox of the year 1772, which, succeeding a hard winter, were more fatal than they had ever been before in London.

"22. The year 1776 was dry, and 1778 still more so. The winter of 1780 was the most frosty since 1740: yet these deviations from what might be accounted moderate weather were so small as scarcely to deserve notice. In May, 1782, there was a very general epidemic catarrh; and early in 1783 began the constitution which produced the epidemic scarlatina anginosa, which spread very considerably."

Sec Dr. Wallis's Sydenham.