338 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



of Greenland," are too striking to be omitted. 

 " The ice and Pioar-frost," says Egede, " reach 

 through the chimney to the stove's mouth, without 

 being thawed by the fire in the day-time. Over 

 the chimney is an arch of frost, with little holes, 

 through which the smoke discharges itself The 

 doors and walls are as if they were plastered over 

 with frost, and, which is scarcely credible, beds are 

 often frozen to the bedsteads. The linen is frozen in 

 the drawers. The upper eider-down bed and the 

 pillows are quite stiff with frost an inch thick from 

 the breath." 



These effects of cold, so different from any thing 

 experienced in Britain, are not greater than might 

 be expected, when we consider the lowness of the 

 temperature which sometimes prevails. 



The morbid effects of a low temperature, in 

 the degree in which the Greenland sailors are 

 exposed to it, are principally confined to the 

 partial freezing of particular members. Thus the 

 hands, feet, or even the face, are occasionally ^ro^^- 

 hitten. The prompt application of spirit of wine 

 with friction, or a hearty rubbing with snow, so as 

 to keep the temperature of the part low until the 

 circulation is restored, seldom fails as a specific. 

 The principal diseases incident to this cause, may 

 be comprised under the genera catarrhus and scor- 

 butus, although intermittents, asthmas, &c. some-t 



