hill's authorities against
contagion.

Mr. Roberton says that in one instance within his knowledge a
practitioner passed the catheter for a patient with puerperal fever late
in the evening; the same night he attended a lady who had the symptoms
of the disease on the second day. In another instance a surgeon was
called while in the act of inspecting the body of a woman who had died
of this fever, to attend a labor; within forty-eight hours this patient
was seized with the fever.'

On the 16th of March, 1831, a medical practitioner examined the body
of a woman who had died a few days after delivery, from puerperal
peritonitis. On the evening of the 17th he delivered a patient, who was
seized with puerperal fever on the 19th, and died on the 24th. Between
this period and the 6th of April, the same practitioner attended two
other patients, both of whom were attacked with the same disease and
died.

In the autumn of 1829 a physician was present at the examination of
a case of puerperal fever, dissected out the organs, and assisted in
sewing up the body. He had scarcely reached home when he was summoned to
attend a young lady in labor. In sixteen hours she was attacked with the
symptoms of puerperal fever, and narrowly escaped with her life.

In December, 1830, a midwife, who had attended two fatal cases of
puerperal fever at the British Lying-in Hospital, examined a patient
who had just been admitted, to ascertain if labor had commenced. This
patient remained two days in the expectation that labor would come
on, when she returned home and was then suddenly taken in labor and
delivered before she could set out for the hospital. She went on
favorably for two days, and was then taken with puerperal fever and died
in thirty-six hours.

"A young practitioner, contrary to advice, examined the body of a
patient who had died from puerperal fever; there was no epidemic at the
time; the case appeared to be purely sporadic. He delivered three
other women shortly afterwards; they all died with puerperal fever, the
symptoms of which broke out very soon after labor. The patients of his
colleague did well, except one, where he assisted to remove some coagula
from the uterus; she was attacked in the same manner as those whom he
had attended, and died also." The writer in the "British and Foreign
Medical Review," from whom I quote this statement,--and who is no
other than Dr. Rigby, adds, "We trust that this fact alone will forever
si