miles from me.  Up to this time I wore the same coat.  All my other clothes had frequently been changed.  On 6th, I attended two women, one of whom was not sick at all; but the other, Mrs. L., was afterwards taken ill.  On 10th, I attended a lady, who did very well.  I had previously changed all my clothes, and had no garment on which had been in a puerperal room.  On 12th, I was called to Mrs. S., in labor.  While she was ill, I left her to visit Mrs. L., one of the ladies who was confined on 6th.  Mrs. L. had been more unwell than usual, but I had not considered her case anything more than common till this visit.  I had on a surtout at this visit, which, on my return to Mrs. S., I left in another room.  Mrs. S. was delivered on 13th with forceps.  These women both died of decided puerperal fever.

“While I attended these women in their fevers, I changed my clothes, and washed my hands in a solution of chloride of lime after each visit.  I attended seven women in labor during this period, all of whom recovered without sickness.

“In my practice I have had several single cases of puerperal fever, some of whom have died and some have recovered.  Until the year 1830 I had no suspicion that the disease could be communicated from one patient to another by a nurse or midwife; but I now think the foregoing facts strongly favor that idea.  I was so much convinced of this fact, that I adopted the plan before related.

“I believe my own health was as good as usual at each of the above periods.  I have no recollections to the contrary.

“I believe I have answered all your questions.  I have been more particular on some points perhaps than necessary; but I thought you could form your own opinion better than to take mine.  In 1830 I wrote to Dr. Charming a more particular statement of my cases.  If I have not answered your questions sufficiently, perhaps Dr. C. may have my letter to him, and you can find your answer there.” [In a letter to myself, this gentleman also stated, “I do not recollect that there was any erysipelas or any other disease particularly prevalent at the time.”]

“Boston, February 3, 1843.

III.  “My dear sir,—­I received a note from you last evening, requesting me to answer certain questions therein proposed, touching the cases of puerperal fever which came under my observation the past summer.  It gives me pleasure to comply with your request, so far as it is in my power so to do, but, owing to the hurry in preparing for a journey, the notes of the cases I had then taken were lost or mislaid.  The principal facts, however, are too vivid upon my recollection to be soon forgotten.  I think, therefore, that I shall be able to give you all the information you may require.

“All the cases that occurred in my practice took place between the 7th of May and the 17th of June 1842.

“They were not confined to any particular part of the city.  The first two cases were patients residing at the South End, the next was at the extreme North End, one living in Sea Street and the other in Roxbury.  The following is the order in which they occurred: