218 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



" all surrounded with trees." Under this zone, the 

 male sex is exposed to more, and more dangerous, 

 diseases than the female, or rather the men expose 

 themselves to disease, because they permit themselves 

 vastly more extravagances of all sorts and give a freer 

 rein to their passions. Men therefore die frequently 

 in the bloom of their years and leave behind for others 

 young and rich widows. Most of them hasten their 

 death by the incautious use of spirituous drinks, in 

 which they seek refreshment and fortification against 

 the relaxing effect of the hot climate. Carolina would 

 be for many a toper a loved country ; it is the doctrine 

 here that during the warm months one should think 

 and work little, and drink much. A verv moderate 

 and restricted use of fermented and spirituous drinks 

 in hot regions seems certainly to be of advantage as a 

 support to the natural powers. But unfortunately it is 

 both here and elsewhere in America the prevalent mis- 

 conception that a free use of such drinks in warm 

 weather prevents debility and cools the body by an 

 increased evaporation ; whereas the effect is to aug- 

 ment the exterior burning heat of the sun by an un- 

 natural internal fire, to give rise to dangerous fevers 

 and inflammations, and through an immoderate sweat- 

 ing to consume the best juices of the body. Patriotic 

 physicians in America fulminate against this noxious 

 custom, and it is to be wished that their philanthropical 

 representations may make an impression, and check 

 the fatal abuse of these drinks, beneficial in themselves 

 if employed with adequate restriction and prudence. 

 Dr. Rush of Philadelphia asserts that half of those 

 diseases, the causes of which are sought in the warmth 



