210 jdn Essay on the medical Effects of Climafes. 



the minute marks on a watch-dial, and see a hair when 

 plucked from her head ; but so great was her indolence, 

 that it was only by constant watching she could be urged 

 to any kind of application; and I have learnt that since her 

 return home she has entirely given up every exertion for 

 the improvement of her sight, and now remains nearly as 

 helpless as ever. The little attention which appears hitherto 

 to have been paid to a subsequent educafion, in the con- 

 stant exercise of the improving powers of vision, and the 

 wish of impressing its importance still more strongly on 

 the minds of those who are not sufficiently aware of the 

 prevalence of the. retarding causes, have induced me to ex- 

 tend thesq observations ; and I feel a strong hope that, by 

 the hints vvhich they contain, they will materially assist the 

 efforts of many anxious parents in the future education of 

 such of their children as have undergone jbe operation for 

 congenital cataract." 



XXXIII. u4n Essay on the medical Effects of Climates*. 



A COMPLETE system of meteorology, even so far as the 

 properties of climates, with regard to temperature only, are 

 concerned, presents almost as great difficulties as a complete 

 theory of the nature and cure of diseases. In this, as in 

 many other departments of medical knowledge, we perpe- 

 tually find a multiplicity of accounts, apparently well at- 

 tested, but totally at variance vyith each other, which render 

 it desirable to appeal to some more satisfactory testimonials 

 than the results of common and superficial observation | 

 while the evidence, which would be required for forming 

 useful conclusions, upon safe and scientific grounds, al- 

 though in this case completely within the scope of the hu- 

 man faculties, is still such as to require, for its production, 

 a combination of perseverance and accuracy, which has cer- 

 tainly never yet existed, and which probably can scarcely 

 ever be expected to be found in a sufficient number of col- 

 lateral observers. Any voluminous work on the subject, 

 whether systcrnatic or empirical, must unavoidably contain 

 much useless and some erroneous matter ; and a short 

 statement of a few facts, which appear to be tolerably well 

 ascertained, first, respecting the physical characters, and 

 secondly, respecting the medical effects of the principal 

 climates which deserve our notice, is all fhat it will be poS' 

 sible to attempt in the present essay. 



* F;-om Dr. Young's Introduction to Medical Literature, Lond- 1813. 



The 



