MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. 
ken the attention of the most pre- 
judiced admirers of a frosty winter. 
And though I have only stated the 
evidence of two years, the same 
conclusion may universelly be 
drawn; as I have learned froma 
careful examination of the weekly 
bills of mortality for many years, 
These two seasons were chosen as 
being each of them very remark- 
able, and,in immediate succession 
one to the other, and in every 
body’s recollection. 
It may not be impertinent to 
the objects of this society, without 
entering too much into the province 
of caeticing: to consider a little 
more particularly the several ways 
in which this effect may be sup- 
posed to be produced ; and to point 
out some of the principal injuries 
which people are liable to sustain 
in their health from a severe frost. 
And one of the first things that 
must strike every mind engaged i in 
this investigation, is its effect on 
old people. It is Gurious to observe 
[473 
among those who are said in the 
bills to die above 60 years of age, 
how regularly the tide of mortality 
follows the influence of this pre- 
vailing cause: so that a person 
used to such inquiries, may form 
no contemptible judgment of the 
severity of any of our winter 
months, merely by attending to this 
circumstance. ‘Thus their number 
last January was not much above 
one-fifth of what it had been in the 
same month the year before. The 
article of asthma, as might be ex. 
pecied, is prodigiously increased, 
and perhaps includes no inconsi- 
derable part of the mortality of the 
aged. After these come apoplexies 
and paisies, fevers, consumptions, 
and dropsies. Under the two last 
of which are contained a large pro- 
chat of the chronical discases of 
is country: all which scem to be 
Raced on to a premature termi. 
nation. ‘The whole will most rea. 
dily be seen at one view in the fol. 
lowing table. 
¥795¢ 
