NOTES ON HISTORY AND CLIMATE OF NEW MEXICO. 341 

 ArPENDIX Xo. 1. 



Santa FjS, December 14, 187G. 

 Dr. McParlin : 



Dear Sir : According to your request, I have the honor to send the 

 statistics of deaths occurred among the Catliolic population of the par 

 ish of Santa Fe since I have been the rector of the said parish. 



The parish of Santa Fe, as it is now established, comprises, besides 

 the city, the towns of Agua Fria, Cienega, Tesuque, and Rio Tesuque ; 

 it is to say, a population of seven or eight thousand inhabitants. 



Here are now the statistics of deaths : 



Years. Deaths. 



1869 104 



1870 94 



1871 145 



1872 183 



Years. Deaths. 



1873 120 



1874 146 



1875 102 



187G, up to this date 131 



As to the principal causes of these deaths I ought to confess my ig- 

 norance in the matter. I am not a physician. 



Influenza and whooping-cough are sometimes fatal and very mortif- 

 erous, especially among children. In last January and February, as 

 you must be aware, we had many fatal cases of pleurisy. I buried 32 

 corpses, almost all of grown persons. 



It would be an error to believe that there is no case of consumption 

 among the natives of this country. On the contrary, asthma, heart and 

 lung diseases are very common among them. I have actually some pa- 

 tients who suffer of such affections. 



I think the principal cause must be attributed to the sharpness of the 

 air and scarcity of good clothes. 



I am, very respectfully, my dear doctor, your most obedient servant, 



J. A. BRUCHARD, 

 Parish Priest of the Cathedral. 



A true copy : 



T. A. McParlin, M. D. 



