1811] 
Lo . 
PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES, 
MEDICALSOCIETY OF LONDON. 
HE Medical Society of London have 
recently published the first volume 
of their Transactions, containing many 
interesting articles, and among others 
the following: Oo the Land Winds of 
Coromandel, and their Causes, by Wil- 
liam Roxburgh, M.D. 
The land-winds on the coast of Coro- 
mandel, says Dr. Roxburgh, are those 
hot winds which blow at a particular 
season of the year and honr of the day, 
from the western hills, commonly called 
the Ghauts, towards the bay of Bengal. 
In the more inland countries, as above 
the Ghauts, they are not confined to any 
regularity, though they are felt sometimes 
with a great degree of severity, and for 
hours together. 
Tunderstand also, that in the upper 
parts of Bengal, they are sometimes ex- 
perienced very severely; but whether 
from the west or the northward, or in 
what part of the year, I have not been 
able to ascertain. As far as this only 
tends to prove the insufficiency of the 
denomination, it would. signiiy little, 
although in other respects it would be of 
more moment. 
As they are generally supposed to be 
peculiar to this country, and are felt 
during several months in the year, we 
should imagine their history and eauses 
to have been perfectly investigated and 
understoad ; but, I know not why, nei- 
ther the one nor the other has as yet 
been satisfactorily explained. 
The most plausible reason generally 
given for the great accumulation of heat 
in them, is the heat. of the season in 
which they prevail, and the long tract of 
country over which they have to pass. 
That this, however, is not the true cause, 
it shall be my endeavour to demonstrate; 
to which I will add an attempt to point 
out the most probable one, founded on 
known chemical principles. 
Respecting the theory I have to offer, 
I regret that it has found but few patrons 
in this country, which, however, I flatter 
myself, may be ascribed more to. the 
manner in which it has been proposed, 
than to the foundation on which it is 
constructed, 
In order to facilitate the explanation 
of my sentiments, as well as to show that 
the land-winds really. deserve some at- 
tention from the philosopher, I. shall 
briefly recount the phanomena accom- 
panying their beginning and progress, as 
well as the effects by which they are pes 
nerally followed. 
Could my pen equal my sensations, I 
should be able to paint their effeets in 
the most lively colours, aided by eight 
years experience in a country the most 
noted on the Coast,* for their intensity, 
The land-winds are preceded in the 
latter end of March, or inthe beginning 
of April, by whirlwinds, which between 
eleven and twelve o’cloek at noon, hurry 
in various directions, mostiy from wese 
to east, towards the sea. These are 
called by the natives Peshashs or Devils, 
because they sometimes doa little mise 
chief to the lighter buildings. 
About the same time, ora little after 
the appearance of the whirlwinds, we 
may observe all ranges of hills garnished 
as it were with clouds, which become 
daily darker and heavier, until they diss 
charge themselves with much thunder 
and lightning in a heavy shower of rain 
After this marked phanomenon, the 
land-winds set in immediately with ali 
the violence of which ‘they are capable. 
Their commencement is generally in 
the latter end of April, or beginning of 
May, and their reign lasts to the earlier 
days of June, during which period they 
generally exert their violence from ten 
or eleven o’clock inthe morning, untib 
about three or four o’clock in the after- 
noon. 
In this season, the atmosphere is com- 
monly hazy and thick, except that im the 
evenings and nights, the sky is serene 
and clear, provided the land-winds do 
not continue-the whole day. 
The rising sun which portends a land- 
wind day, appears of a fiery red, and as 
if involved in mist, which mist is changed 
afterwards into clouds that lie Leavy on 
the Ghauts. 
The land-wind of each day is almos¢ 
always preceded by 2 long calm, and i= 
mediately by a cloud of dust, 
Their diurnal violence is terminated 
along the coast about two or three 
o'clock, by the setting-in of the sea-breeze 
which wafts delight and health as far as 
its influence extends, which is not more 
than ten or twelve miles inland. An 
abatement of their intensity from thenee 
to the Ghauts, is all that can be hoped 
for, 
* Samulcotah, in the Northern Circars. 
The 
