186 Scientific Intelligence. — Meteorology, 



neighbouring counh-y with all their peculiar horrors : the population, 

 though small, presented feeble infants and diseased men, old age being 

 unknown there. All attempts to avoid the scourge, by living on the hills, 

 or in the interior, and frequenting the plains when the business of culti- 

 vation essentially required it, were vain ; they fell victims to the extent 

 sive influence, and such being the effects upon the inhabitants of the 

 country, much more rapidly did a stranger suffer from the deleterious at- 

 mosphere ; one single night in the months of August and September 

 causing inevitable death to the incautious traveller who should stay so 

 long in this infested country. 



" Such Avas the state of things till 1741. Previous to that time Gemig- 

 nano Rondelli, Eustachio Manfredi, and Bernardino Zendrini had suc- 

 cessively insisted upon the necessity of excluding the sea from these 

 marshes ; and in 1740-41 a sluice with folding-doors, competent to give 

 emission to the waters of the marsh, but prevent the sea from entering, 

 was constructed at the mouth of the Burlamacca. The most complete and 

 unexpected success immediately followed upon, and has continued with, 

 this work. The year after its completion there were no appearances of 

 the terrible maladies which previously appeared every year. The inhabi- 

 tants soon recovered health, and the land being very fertile, the population 

 rapidly increased, and is increasing at this moment. Viareggio has be- 

 come a considerable town ; and so completely has all suspicion of its in- 

 salubrity disappeared, that the first families of the city of Lucca have for 

 years built there summer seats there. Notwithstanding the success of the 

 precautions taken at this part of the coast, the neighbouring parts were 

 long left a prey to the destroying influence of the mixed marsh-waters ; 

 and the inhabitants around the basins of Motrone and Perotto were not 

 considered until the year 1804. In the years 1809, 1810, 1811, similar 

 means were taken with the best efiects to the inhabitants of Montignoso 

 and the vicinity ; and in 1812 a sluice was constructed on the Cinquale, 

 which perfected the arrangements in this part, and made a large portion 

 of the country equally healthy with Viareggio. To complete the arrange- 

 ment, it was now only required to guard the ditches of Montrone and 

 Tonfalo with sluices ; the former was finished in 1819, and the latter in 

 1821. Since that time the diseases of malaria have ceased so entirely at all 

 points, that no other dangers are now incurred regarding the insalubrity 

 of the atmosphere than such as may arise from neglect of these sluices, 

 which the inhabitants of the country should regard as their palladium. — 

 Friend of Africa, No. 3. 



2. Power which Pla7its j^ossess of Drawing off Electricity from ike 

 Atmosphere. — A letter from Thomas Pine, Esq., was read to the London 

 Electrical Society, containing many interesting facts on the power 

 exercised by the points of living vegetables in " drawing off" electri- 

 city from the atmosphere. That many important functions in vegeta- 

 tion result from this, the author concluded from the singular circum- 



