98 On Idiotism. 
it was found, and where the water was most 
pure: that as the river continues its course 
below Edmonton, through plains whose soil 
is alluvial and calcareous ‘it becomes turbid 
‘and acquires a white colour: in this state it 
“is drank by the inmates of Carlton house, 
“‘where the disease is known only by name.” 
By actual observation and experiment (a) 
Fodere has shewn that goitre atid cretinism 
are most frequent in the deep alpine vallies, 
washed by torrents, having a marshy bottom 
and exuberant vegetation: he examined the 
atmosphere of these vallies with an hygro- 
meter and uniformly found the number of 
these unfortunates, to be in proportion to the 
humidity of the atmosphere in which they 
resided. The vallies of the Pyrennees, and 
the Appennines, present the same features, 
and are attended with the same consequences: 
(b) Sir George Staunton remarks that the 
high grounds in Tartary where he noticed 
similar appearances, presented many alpine 
features; and (c) Turner more careful in his 
description, not only found these affections 
(a) Traite du Goitre et du Cretinisme. par F: E: Fodere. Troisieme 
section. Dela cause generale du Goitre et du Cretinisme. 
(6) Account,of the Embassy to China. By Sir Geo, Staunton. 8vo. 
(ce) Turner’s Embassy to Thibet. p, 67. 
