LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania: LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, BY DIRECTION OF THE GOVERNOR, RELATIVE TO THE LATE MALIGNANT FEVER; AND REPORT OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS, OF THE MARINE AND CITY HOSPITALS, IN REPLY. Philadelphia: Thomas and Samuel F. Bradford. 1798. 16pp,

The Letter, from A.J. Dallas, Secretary to the Governor, asks Philadelphia hospitals a series of questions about the Yellow Fever epidemic. They are designed to provide "a comprehensive view of the mortality and expenditure, produced by the calamity, which has recently afflicted the City and its Suburbs." The Reply, written in haste because "the continuance of the disease to so late a date has delayed the adjustment of the accounts of the institutions under our direction," notes the strict enforcement of the Quarantine and describes efforts "to trace the disease to its origin, but without success." Efforts to combat "the alarming progress of the disease, and frightful increase of mortality," are also described. Among the recommendations is a suggestion "to interdict the commerce from the Mediterranean and West-Indies during the Summer months." William Jones signs the Reply for the Hostpitals. FIRST EDITION.

From Catalog I

The state's formal attempt to resolve a controversy it could not resolve: requesting origin, receiving admission of failure. The recommendation -- to interdict commerce from the Mediterranean and West Indies during summer months -- represents the practical consequence of the importationist position translated into policy. Whether or not the theory was correct, quarantine was the recommendation, and quarantine was what the importationists had always urged.