Transactions of the Epidemiological Society of London Vol. III. (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1876 Excerpt: ... ON THE CONCURRENCE OF EPIDEMICS; AN ARITHMETICAL STUDY; ILLUSTRATED BY THE RECENT BEHAVIOUR OF EPIDEMIC DISEASE IN ENGLAND. By Dr. BUCHANAN. Read January 8th, 1873. I Need not insist, before this society, on the interest that attaches to the question which I propose for consideration to-night; and while we regard it as a problem concerning the distribution and behaviour of epidemics among communities, we shall further admit its interest to the student of the pathology of epidemic diseases. Hitherto, so far as I know, attempts to investigate the laws under which epidemics prevail together, or refuse to prevail together, have been based on investigations in particular towns or localities, and a number of much disturbing, yet imperfectly understood, elements in the case have always been in the way. We have not known what allowance to make for the difference of the so-called cycles of one epidemic from those of another, nor for the tendency of one disease to attack one part of the community rather than another, nor for the comparative facility with which each of two diseases may be imported, nor for the different ways in which they spread, nor for the different seasons at which they tend to occur. Moreover, we have had, until lately, few data about epidemics except such as related to yearly periods, and a year is too long a time for the purpose of the investigation. And since the quarterly returns of the Registrar-General--the only extended data respecting epidemics in shorter periods--began to be published, only eleven quarters have elapsed, a time very much too short for the investigation of epidemic concurrences in any particular town or locality. I propose, therefore, to-night to submit to your notice another method of investigation. Instead of regarding th...