Dr Robertson, in one letter says, “I decidedly agree with you, that there is a strong similitude between the symptoms of the yellow fever and the plague: although the latter disease never came under my observation, yet I was so struck with the appearance of yellow fever, and the histories of the other disease, which I had read, that, at one time, I was almost disposed to consider them both as different modifications of the same diseased state of body, and actually wrote a paper on the subject in February, 1797.” In the practice in Egypt, Mr Price’s observation militates against the use of cold bathing in the plague. It should be recollected, however, that, when Mr Price made his observation, it was in the severest part of the season, when the plague raged the most, and when Mr Price laboured under many disadvantages in his practice. I anxiously wish to see cold bathing, or sponging, extensively tried in the plague. I have great expectations from it in that disease, from having so often seen how much it has done in the yellow fever and in typhus fever, where I consider it to be the most valuable part of the treatment. In concluding, I am impelled to do an act of justice, and acquit myself of a debt of gratitude. The use of this invaluable remedy, and what else I know of tropical practice, I learned many years ago from my venerable and much-respected friend Dr Wright. By the use of the cold bathing, my life was saved in Jersey, in 1794, when I was ill of typhus fever, by Dr Jackson, then surgeon of the Buffs, who, at the same time, attended my hospital for me, and with the greatest benefit, and introduced this practice into the 88th regiment, where typhus then raged. The use of cold water and cold bathing has since been diffused by the ingenious and elegant pen of Dr Currie. This I conceive to be one of the greatest improvements which the practice of physic has received in modern times. FOOTNOTES [1] A plan established in the army proved so useful, that I will here mention it. The letters and reports of the medical gentlemen in the pest-houses, I constantly sewed together, made them up in monthly volumes, and kept them at my quarters, where every medical gentleman in the army was invited to come and daily peruse them. The disease became thus the subject of daily discussion; and, from these discussions, I was enabled daily to propose queries in my letters to the gentlemen in the pest-houses. Thus, the history of the disease, in most of its points, came to be investigated; and, previously to entering a pest-house, before his tour of duty came round, every gentleman had acquired some knowledge of the plague, and of the success of other practitioners. [2] These circumstances I learned from a member of the French Institute, and from the Pharmacien en Chéf to the French army, who often related to me the order which Bonaparte gave him to poison the wounded with opium.