On Malaria. 103 



learned that tlie real malaria had never appeared amongst the 

 people who inhabited them, hut that violent fevers are of fre- 

 quent occurrence. 



It is well known that marshy districts, abounding in putrid 

 water, are very unhealthy, and that in these intermitting fevers 

 become epidemic ; so that the ships from Manfredonia, and 

 some other places on the Adriatic Sea, are obliged to serve qua- 

 rantine on arriving at other ports. I saw marshy districts of 

 this description at Basiento ; in the province of Otranto ; at 

 Crati ; near Miastro, Catania, Lentini, Agosta, &c. The real 

 malaria tracts of country are characterised by entirely different 

 features. In the year 1669, four villages were overflowed by 

 the lava which issued from the eruption of the M. Rossi on 

 Etna. The inhabitants built a new village on a beautiful 

 height between Paterno and jMotta. To the east and south 

 basalt may be observed, and to the north we meet with the old 

 seas of lava of Etna ; but the chief rock is a vesicular basaltic 

 tuffa. The village was called Castellino, and is now entirely 

 deserted ; and the houses appear as if they had suffered from 

 fire. Though excessively dry, the district abounds in rich fields 

 of corn. At a greater distance round this remarkable elevated 

 point, there is no marsh or other similar collection of water. 

 The first year the malaria showed itself after the harvest, and 

 under its influence the whole colony suffered ; so that at last 

 not an individual lived on the spot, while the neighbourhood 

 was abundantly inhabited. Notwithstanding this, however, a 

 few years ago, a rich inhabitant of Palermo built in that very 

 district some farm-houses, and a beautiful country house. The 

 farmers unfortunately heard the fate of the colony, and again 

 every thing was deserted, and the wood of the houses carried 

 away. One of the least moist districts is that round the village 

 of Florida, which lies on an extensive platform composed of 

 basaltic tuffa, and, like all other malaria tracts, is characterised 

 by the absence of vegetation. Soon after leaving Syracuse no 

 more trees are to be seen. In the long narrow limestone valley 

 bushes are to be met with, but when the height is reached ail 

 vegetation disappears after the harvest ; there is nothing but 

 dried up corn fields, in which nothing thrives amongst the 

 stubble. The village, which contains the only houses of the 



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