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Describes alleged body snatching by medical students and the reasons why this offended the public. Notes youth playing on Sundays near a hospital and spying on dissections, and a doctor's angry retort that he was "cutting up" one of their relatives. News of this claim incited a riot. Describes the riot at the hospital, how it spread the following day to the doctors' houses and the jail where they were kept for safety, and the efforts to suppress it. Notes deaths and injuries due to police retaliation, as well as the injury of John Jay when he tried to dispel the mob.

Regarding James Ramsey's invention of the boiler and the application for a patent. "By a late letter from Ramsey he said he is likely to succeed in his applications in England, France, Spain, Holland, and has a pressing Invitation to the Courts of Sweden and Denmark." Discusses competition with the "Claims of Fitch and his Company to an exclusive right to creating a Steam Boat... but that they are now convinced that as Ramsey is upon an intirely different Plan, each ought to have the benefit of their own inventions."

“Report on Quilipahilla and Tulpehocken” Canal. Notes on water evaporation, canal locks, Chinese vs. lifting locks, drafts and plans for the canal.

Update on information gathered for Morse's American Geography, but lacking information on the South due to their tardiness in submitting enumerations.

Printed circular from Jedidiah Morse requesting information for his forthcoming “Gazetteer of North-America.” “WHOEVER undertakes to publish a geographical and topographical account of any country, must of necessity be dependent on others for much of his information; for it can never be expected that he should be personally acquainted with every part of the country which he describes.” Asks for the name of Johnson’s county, its boundaries, number of inhabitants, their nationalities, and religious denominations. Inquires about soil and agriculture, other productions and their transport, regional geography and “curiosities.” Requests information about the area’s early history, education, towns and their buildings. Includes a manuscript note stating Morses’s appreciation for any corrections Johnson can make to his Geography and apologizes for not being able to visit while in Boston. Also includes manuscript corrections to the circular, changing the date from June 23, 1783, to February 27, 1792, and changing the location and forwarding address from New York to Charlestown.

Early inoculation order for four children, signed by John White, Overseer of the Poor.

Letter to his uncle, Dr. John Betteys, concerning the state of smallpox in Cambridge and an outbreak in Menotomy, where people are carried to "pest houses" in an attempt to ease the spread. Visits Boston where no one is infected excepting those who have taken it by inoculation, and they are also carried to pest houses. Boston is trying to "clense [sic] the town."

Letter to James Philip from Thomas Clarkson in response to his current condition which seems to be better as he states he is "rejoiced to hear that you keep gradually mending." Advises James not to labor too much mentally or physically. "I know by sad Experience that mental Labour is more injurious to the Constitution than bodily..." Notes the many well wishes for his recovery. Intends to be travelling several months on a "long Journey." Refrained from consulting "on a subject of some Importance to me & our common cause, but I judged it improper to say any thing to you upon it in your present state."

Notes the recent death of his mother, his young infant, and uncle, as well as his grandmother's illness. Acknowledges the difficulty of making a living as a doctor and plans for the two to set up a joint “Practice of Physic.” Comments on the place to establish their business and purchasing and selling medicines for profit.

Writes regarding an illness he is struggling to recover from and that his "Spirits have been affected." Laments that his "affairs are so circumstanced, my overseer being very ill," that he is unlikely to be able to visit. Has only heard news that Edmund Jennings Randolph "resigned the office of Secretary of State, & that the Atty. Genl. is dead."