ENDEMIC AND EPIDEMIC DISEASES.] 



METEOEOLOGY. 



1207 



game degree, to the various diseases which are always 

 produced by free communication with the shore. Tho 

 total force was 8,540 men, of whom 015 were invalided ; 

 and the number of deaths was 244 ; making, together, a 

 total loss to the service of about 10 per cent. Of the 244 

 deaths, no less than 116 were caused by dysentery* the 

 intractable disease of the Chinese coast. Experience has 

 shown, that fever and dysentery follow the seasons in the 

 order of their origin and decline ; that they almost 

 entirely disappear during the winter months ; reappear 

 in spring ; and increase rapidly, in virulence and fatality, 

 throughout tlie warm months of summer and autumn, 

 until the cold of the approaching winter again puts them 

 out of existence. 



The returns show, that dysenteric attacks were tiricf as 

 numerous during tlie inarm, as they were duritvj the cold 

 teaion ; and it appears that the greater portion of them 

 were consequent .upon exposure,- in boats and on the 

 shore, during August and September, when the force was 

 employed in the Gulf of Pechili, but more especially 

 when off the estuary of the Pehtang and Peiho rivers, or 

 in about latitude 39 N. The experience of the last few 

 yean has shown, that the causes which give rise to fever 

 and dysentery on the main-land of China, south of 32 

 latitude, are either altogether inoperative on the coast of 

 Japan, or exist in a far less potent form. This suggests 

 the obvious nece.'sity of running northward, out -of the 

 dysenteric latitudes, immediately on the appearance of 

 this fatal disease amongst the men. This, however, 

 could not be done, owing to tlie military and naval 

 operations which, in 18UO, confined the squadron to the 

 above-named waters. 



The health of the Australian squadron contrast* most 

 favourably with the above. The total number of the 

 force was about 040 men ; and of these, 22 were invalided, 

 and 13 died ; making a tot.il lost of less than 4 per 

 cent., or under one-half of that occurring on the East 

 India and China station. The lots to the service, by 

 invaliding, was greatest on .the last-named station, 

 where their ratio rose to 72 per 1,000 men ; and 

 least on the Australian, where it amounted to 24 per 

 1,000 men. The deaths by diseases were greatest on the 

 North American and West India station, where their 

 ratio was 38 7 per 1,000 men ; and least on the Pacific 

 station, where it amounted only to 37 per 1,000 men. 

 The high number of deaths on the first-named station ia 

 attributable to the outbreak of yellow fever. 



Yellow fever and dysentery were the chief instru- 

 ments of death, and dysentery and pulmonary complaints, 

 of invaliding. They are all preventible, and essentially 

 climatic ; but, generally speaking, pulmonary complaints 

 were found to increase -directly as attention to proper 

 ventilation was neglected ; for, in the St. Jean d'Acre, 

 where there was no ventilation, there were 285 of such 

 canon, out of a crew of 815 ; whilst in the Marlbornugh, 

 under circumstances otherwise identical, out of an 

 average complement of 1,145 men, and where particular 

 attention was paid to the ventilation of the decks where 

 the crew slept, there were only seven cases. 



The general result gathered from the report is, that 

 even in the case of yellow fever, dysentery, and other 

 fatal diseases, proper attention and care, if exercised 

 duly, will, on the most unhealthy stations as on the 

 west coast of Africa secure a comparative immunity 

 from disease ; whilst on a healthy station, like the 

 Mediterranean, their neglect is sure to be followed 

 by invaliding, and numerous fatal cases. We thus 

 see, that despite the malevolent influences of climate, 

 still we have left in our hands a means of prevention in 

 nearly every case. 



It is no part of our province to point out the different 

 characteristic! of the diseases already referred to, or to 

 descend into particulars respecting the symptoms at- 

 tending the various forms or stages of them. It has 

 been solely our object to give a general view of the 

 connection which subsists between them and the me- 

 teorological conditions of our atmosphere ; and in doing 

 so, we have confined ourselves to matters familiarly 

 Sec ante, p. 1205. 



known to most of our readers. We might have instanced 

 a vast variety of affections to which the human subject is 

 liable, arising from sudden changes of temperature, or 

 its excessive range ; but we should have trenched con- 

 siderably on the domains of medical science, and perhaps 

 lessened the force of the arguments and proofs already 

 adduced. We may add generally, however, that almost 

 every disease of the organs of respiration and digestion 

 may be identified with climatic considerations, directly 

 or remotely ; and, therefore, the study of meteorology, in 

 its pathological aspects, is one of the highest importance, 

 and deserving of the deepest attention from the general 

 and professional observer. 



Whilst science points out, and explains, the causes, 

 progress, &c , of such diseases, it is also its office to 

 suggest such remedies as may tend to prevent them ; 

 but, "as we have remarked iii reference to our knowledge 

 of the causes, so we must own, in respect to its applica- 

 tion, that both are limited, owing to the paucity and 

 obscurity of the facts which we possess. It is only of 

 late years that the science of meteorology has been 

 brought to bear on sanitary questions, and hence a proper 

 estimate of the extent of their connection has yet to 

 be made. In previous pagest we have mentioned the 

 influence which a thorough system of drainage has in im- 

 proving tlie climatic and sanitary conditions of low-lying 

 and marshy places. In most of our large cities and towns, 

 great attention is now paid to local sanitary matters ; 

 surface-water, which is so fertile a source of disease, is 

 now quickly removed ; drains are applied to each house ; 

 sewage-matter is carried to a distance from its places of 

 production; and various other details, which We need 

 not enumerate, are effected all tending to fender more 

 pure, dry, and therefore healthy, the atmosphere of even 

 the worst localities. By such means an immense 

 amount of good has been effected, the mortality has 

 been decreased, and the public health greatly benefited ; 

 although we have not yet attained, by a great length, 

 to the maximum of improvement placed within our 

 power by engineering and chemical science. 



Despite every advance, however, there must still be 

 certain localities which, on account of the peculiarities 

 of their position, will always remain fnr below the 

 standard at which others have arrived. We need but 

 instance Hull, Liverpool, Bristol, <tc., which, from their 

 low elevation above, and proximity to, the sea, must 

 necessarily have a moist and variable climate. In each 

 case the drainage mixes with the sea-water running 

 close to them ; and as the sewage-matter comes in contact 

 with the saline particles of the ocean, decomposition 

 takes place, and the evolution of poisonous gases is the 

 result. It is to be hoped, however, that the great 

 drainage scheme, inaugurated by the metropolis, will 

 gradually spread in the provinces, and that tlie refuse 

 from private houses, factories, ic. , will in time be 

 everywhere removed far from its sources a result than 

 which nothing can be more essential for the health of the 

 inhabitants. Then the moist superincumbent atmo- 

 sphere will at least have less addition to its harmful 

 qualities, arising from the suspension and solution of 

 gases to which we have frequently alluded, and which 

 constant experience has proved to be so active a cause of 

 disease ; and the average moisture will also be itself 

 diminished in many cases. 



Our possessions in India have ever been a source of 

 enormous expense, in connection with the civil and 

 military departments, owing to the excessive mortality 

 which constantly occurs. Of late years, the extraordinary 

 fatality which has happened there, even to the highest in 

 power whose intelligence, means, and position would 

 lead them to the use of every art to prolong life shows, 

 that however much other causes may operate preju- 

 dicially to the health of Europeans, still to the climatic 

 peculiarities its existence must be chiefly clue. The subject 

 has received the earnest attention of many scientific 

 men ; and experience has shown, that the only remedy, 

 or rather relief, which can bo obtained at present, is that of 

 frequent removal up to the elevated plains in the interior 

 t gee ante, pp. 1183 and 1180. 



