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Taine, Hippolyte, 1828-1893

"The French Revolution - Volume 3"

For example, at Lyons, "The Asylums having been deprived
of sisters of charity during years II., III. and IV., and most of
year V., the children gathered into them could neither be fed nor
suckled and the number that perished was frightful." ("Statistique du
Rhone," by Vernier, prefet, year X.) - In Necker's time, there were
about eight hundred asylums, hospitals and charitable institutions,
with one hundred thousand or one hundred and ten thousand inmates.
(Peuchet, ibid., 256.) For lack of care and food they die in myriads,
especially foundlings, the number of which increases enormously: in
1790, the figures do not exceed 23,000; in year IX., the number
surpasses 62,000, (Peuchet, 260): "It is a 'perfect deluge,' " say the
reports; in the department of Aisne, there are 1,097 instead of 400;
in that of Lot-et-Garonne, fifteen hundred, (Statistiques des pr?fets
de l'Aisne, Gers, Lot-et-Garonne), and they are born only to die. In
that of Eure, after a few months, it is six out of seven; at Lyons,
792 out of 820; (Statistique des Prefets du Rhone et de l'Eure). At
Marseilles, it is ?600 out of 618; at Toulon, 101 out of 104; in the
average, 19 out of 20.


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