332 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



to nervous diseases, it is probable that the climate possesses an idiopathic 

 influence in this direction. The diseases which the physician is most fre- 

 quently called on to treat are indigestion and derangements of the liver. 

 It is probable that certain acute disease being so entirely absent, these 

 chronic cases assume undue importance; yet they are, to a certain extent, 

 fostered by the climate. Meat, fat, butter, and other heat producers, are 

 used in quantities much greater than would be in a warm climate; the 

 blood is rich to stagnation, and the bilious temperament prevails. In acute 

 diseases the lancet is often absolutely demanded, and though now out of 

 fashion, will eventually be again recognized as a most important therapeu- 

 tic resource. I will close this article with another quotation from Hippo- 

 crates. While his explanation of the frequent association of biliousness 

 with a cool climate may be correct, when he penned the last sentence he 

 evidently did not truly prophesy a prominent characteristic of the typical 

 Californian: "Those cities which are exposed to cool winds during the 

 Summer months and which are sheltered from the hot breezes of the 

 south, possess the following characteristics: As a rule the waters are hard 

 and cool; consequently the men are vigorous and slender, and being of a 

 constipated habit, the fluids of the stomach and liver being abundant, 

 render them bilious rather than phlegmatic. Their heads are hard and 

 the blood vessels unyielding, which renders them liable to burstings. The 

 diseases which are epidemic are pleurisies and other acute lung diseases. 

 There is much suppuration of the lungs, the cause of which is abdominal 

 tension. Dryness and coldness predispose them to rupture of the lung ves- 

 sels. Those who possess such a constitution must be given to excess of 

 eating rather than drinking: it is not possible to be at the same time a 

 glutton and a drunkard." 



