POPULAR MISCELLANY. 



567 



but it operates by inducing malaria, which 

 does not come with it but after it. Mere 

 rise in temperature, as shown by monthly 

 means, appears to have comparatively little 

 effect. The variations in the diurnal range 

 have a much greater effect, while the change 

 in the death-rate, due to varying humidity, 

 is even less than that due to temperature 

 changes. The relation between the death- 

 rate and the movement of the wind is in- 

 verse. In October and November, when 

 malarial diseases prevail, the air is almost 

 absolutely still, and a little wind would prob- 

 ably go a good ways toward dissipating 

 malaria. The deaths by small-pox are fewer 

 in the months when the general mortality 

 attains its maximum. The meteorological 

 causes favorable to the spread of this dis- 

 ease appear to be heat, drought, and possi- 

 bly also an unusually high wind-velocity. 

 The maximum mortality from cholera usual- 

 ly occurs in the rainy season. Whatever 

 may ultimately prove to be the nature of the 

 disease, there can be little doubt that in the 

 Northwest Provinces it is, to a great extent, 

 dependent upon heat and moisture. Crimes 

 by violence seem to be proportional in fre- 

 quency to the tendency to prickli/ hcaf, an 

 excruciating condition of the skin induced 

 by a high temperature combined with moist- 

 ure. 



The Morality of Happiness. — If any 



proof of the truth of your remark, that 

 "there can be no manner of doubt that 

 rules of conduct are regarded by an im- , 

 mense number of persons as essentially 

 associated with religious doctrines," were 

 needed, it may be found in the fact that 

 many people will but half-heartedly admit 

 that a man may be capable of good con- 

 duct if he does not profess their own pecul- 

 iar creed, but will stoutly deny that such 

 conduct is possible to him who professes 

 no creed at all. The reason for this posi- 

 tion is, I think, not far to seek. That con- 

 duct conduces to happiness is, perhaps, 

 more conclusively insisted upon in the Bi- 

 ble than in any other book that is equally 

 read; and those who regard the Bible as 

 the inspired fount of their theology can not 

 admit that a man may by his life prove this 

 and yet not give his adhesion to their own 

 or some kindred doctrine which they insist 



is built upon biblical teaching. But that 

 this proposition — "Conduct conduces to 

 happiness " — is true, most people, indeed, I 

 should say, all people, may prove to them- 

 selves by a little thoughtful introspection. 

 Who, without any reference whatever to 

 religious sentiments, has not felt the pangs 

 of remorse, when suffering from a sense of 

 wrong-doing ? Who has not felt a thrill of 

 the most real and satisfying pleasure when, 

 by the exercise of self-denial, he has con- 

 ferred some benefit on a fellow-creature — 

 thus receiving from his own conscience the 

 direct assurance that the proposition is 

 true? Yet conscience existed before the 

 Bible, and before the Bible must have been 

 susceptible of the same emotions that influ- 

 ence it now. It so happened that the Jews 

 made the discovery, some centuries ago, that 

 "conduct conduces to happiness," and in- 

 sisted upon it in their literature; and it 

 further happened that upon Jewish litera- 

 ture the whole fabric of Christian theology 

 was built up ; but the truth and proof of 

 the proposition are matters of purely world- 

 ly wisdom, the outcome of experience, and 

 have nothing whatever to do with theolo^- 

 cal dogmas. — A. McD., in Knowledge. 



Flat-foot. — Flat-foot is an acquired de- 

 formity, characterized by a flattening or fall- 

 ing down of the inner longitudinal arch of 

 the foot, a structure on which depend the 

 form of the foot, the distribution of the 

 weight of the body over it, and the grace 

 and ease of walking connected with the ris- 

 ing forward on the toes. Its cause may be 

 found in any condition that disturbs the nat- 

 ural equilibrium between the weight trans- 

 mitted to the arch and the power of the 

 fibrous and muscular structures to sustain 

 the pressure. It comes on about puberty, 

 or between puberty and full manhood, par- 

 ticularly in persons exposed to long stand- 

 ing, carrying heavy weights, or other modes 

 of straining the arch, and in those whose 

 tissues are weak at that point. Besides the 

 deformity and the loss of elasticity in the 

 step and of all ease and grace in walking, 

 it causes great pain, which, naturally, is 

 always worse after standing or walking, es- 

 pecially after going up-stairs or up-hill, and 

 at night than in the morning. In very severe 

 cases the heel becomes raised, giving the 



