1854.] CRITICAL STATE OF HEALTH. 105 



dared, to act up. to the principle which I had ever main- 

 tained, not only in sickness but in all the concerns of 

 professional life, " The man who gives way is lost." In 

 this climate, and under the insidious undermining effects 

 of close confinement, repeated inspiration of a vitiated 

 atmosphere, absence of light, and, still more important, 

 of the wonderful influence of the sun's rays, nothing but 

 determination, and a thorough conviction of the para- 

 mount necessity of exertion, will sustain a man in sound 

 health. How much more important then is it to the 

 invalid, seeking almost reanimation ! 



Reduced as I am, and scarcely able to dress or wash 

 myself, the effort to get out of a warm bed into an 

 atmosphere of 37 required some degree of courage as 

 well as endurance ; but the reflection, that one day's in- 

 dulgence might for ever cut off the power, supported 

 me. Once up and dressed, notwithstanding appetite was 

 wanting to assist in nourishing the body, still the occu- 

 pation and excitement of the mind continued to afford 

 its own peculiar and wonderful invigoration, for I have 

 almost forgotten to state that, added to an almost hatred 

 to food, I had little or no sleep, and had adopted a 

 system of hourly visits to my cabin during the night. 



The theoretical views of this year as to changes at 

 peculiar dates have been somewhat shaken by an inter- 

 val almost of eight days. I had anticipated a break in 

 the season, or a cessation of cold, about the 13th of 

 February. The temperature, it is true, is but 33, and 

 the old hands would lead us to believe that this is not 

 too cold, and that even 40 would be bearable. It 

 may be, for matter of boast ; but for the feelings and well- 



