214 
The position of Gibraltar, along the 
shore. at the bottom of a high and ex- 
tensive mountain, must greatly tend to 
render remittent fever not only more 
frequent, but more malignant, on its 
occurrence there: because, in conse- 
quence of the height and extent of the 
mountain, the ascent of the vapour in 
the atmosphere meets with a barrier 
preventing its dispersion ; and, in con- 
sequence of the lower temperature at 
that height, it must naturally sink to- 
wards its source: and in this way being 
“kept dispersed over the town, it acts 
with redoubled effect upon its inhabi- 
tants. It seems to be owing to this 
that the town of Gibraltar is kept, as it 
were, at all times immersed in a noxious 
gas; and that, in consequence of the 
peculiar malignity of the exhalation from 
the burying-ground, the remittent fever 
has so often broken out there with 
singular violence. It is not improba- 
ble, that the severity of the disease may 
have given occasion to the great dis- 
cordance of opinions upon this subject. 
Carthagena is likewise placed on the 
coast, and is nearly surrounded by high 
grounds, thereby preventing the free 
dispersion of the exhalations arising 
from the harbour, &c.; but the miasma, 
probably, arises principally from the 
ditches around the works, which are 
almost always wet, in consequence of 
retaining the rain. 
. On the other hand, Valencia, situated 
in’ a nearly similar climate, peculiarly 
exposed to noxious exhalations that 
arise from the shallow, and alinost 
stagnant river that surrounds it, and 
that are occasioned by the common 
practice of irrigating the grounds, for the 
culture’ of rice and other grain, is, never- 
theless, much less liable to the severer 
forms of rémittent fever, than either of 
the above-mentioned places. Its supe- 
rior salubrity probably arises from its 
situation in an’ extensive plain, thereby 
affording a free dispersion’ of the vapour 
by whatever wind blows. 
The same reasoning applies to the’ 
Island of Malta, which has no high 
mountains’ to impede and throw back 
any noxious vapours that may be fo- 
mented on’ its coasts. In like mah- 
ner, were it not for the open site of 
Venice, situated at a great distance from’ 
any mountains, that city could not be 
Kabitable, on account of the pestilent 
exhalations from’ its canals. 
“Alieant' suffered’ severely from yellow 
remittent fever’ some year's ago; as epi- 
demic, and in’ this place severe cases of 
D>. Robertson on Remittent Fever. 
| Nov. 1, 
temittent fever are frequently met with 
every autumnal season: principally origi- 
nating, as I imagine, in the exhalation 
from the beach, and thosé which arise 
from a particular spot within the city, 
which, being lower than the adjoining 
streets, retains the rain, and is also 
liable to be overflowed occasionally, by 
the dashing of the sea over the rampart. 
Alicant is open to the right, and has a 
marshy shore extending round the bay ; 
while, nearer to the left of the place, it 
is covered with two high mountains. 
Upon that next the town is built the 
castle, which must have the effect of 
throwing back, upon the city, the exhala- 
tions from the shore, if driven towards 
it by aS.W. current of air. _ 
Further, in illustration of the forego- 
ing doctrine of the cases of remittent 
fever, 1 may observe, that in Palermo, 
I found remittent fever, in its) worst 
form (yellow), originating from the care- 
lessness of workmen in leaving the gut- 
ter of a public necessary open for some 
days, in the hottest time of the year. 
This fever likewise broke out severely 
in a regiment of dragoons, part of whom 
were quartered on the shore, the re- 
mainder in barracks more inward) tear 
a rivulet, which, in the warm season, is 
almost dry, or containing a small quan- 
tity of stagnating water. But there is 
no place, in or about Palermo, that is’ 
not, more or less, liable to this disease ; 
this city being surrounded with moun- 
tains at no great distance on all sides, 
except towards the bay forming the har- 
bour. 
The most dréadful form of this dis- 
ease Fever met with was im the summer 
of 1816, at Argostoli, in Cefalonia ; per- 
haps the most unhealthy spot in Europe, 
That place is situated upon the middle 
of a narrow creek, stretching from a 
small bay, and running about three 
miles inland. This creek is covered by 
high mountains rising perpendicularly 
on the east; while on the opposite 
shore a mountainous ridge, from 150° 
to 300 feet high, runs from the bay, 
and closely surrounds the creek by join- ~ 
ing the higher mountains at its top. 
The upper end of the creek is low and 
marshy; by which, together with the 
plentiful sources of miasma, arising 
from the filthiness of the narrow lanes, 
and want of cleanliness in the precincts 
of the’ houses, a constant emanation of 
poisonous vapour is extricated; and 
from the height of the surrounding’ 
grounds, the inhabitants of Argostoli, 
consequently, are at all times immersed: 
in 
