420 CLIMATE FACE OF THE COUNTRY. 



perature 64. At Prairies des Chiens, which is a few miles 

 beyond the northern boundary of the State, the temperature in 

 July 1820 was 74, in December 16, and the average of the 

 year 48 5 .* 



The diseases in Illinois are such as are common to the 

 upper Mississippi valley, amongst which intermitting and re 

 mitting bilious fevers often occur. From the variations of 

 temperature, inflammatory complaints and diseases of the lungs 

 are frequent in this and almost every other part of North 

 America. I met several young men, suffering under consump 

 tion, travelling in the steam-boats of the west, although this 

 malady is much more frequent in the eastern states. By an 

 official report of the deaths in the city of New York, from 24th 

 November to 1st December, 1832, in a newspaper lying be 

 fore me, 14 cases of consumption, out of a total of 92, are 

 recorded, which is the highest number of any disease on the 

 list ; and the same paper states 5 of consumption, out of 62, 

 at Philadelphia, which occurred during the previous week. 

 Fever, dyspepsia, and consumption, are the maladies of Illi 

 nois, the two first being most common in the south, and the 

 latter in the north. The health of an emigrant may, in some 

 measure, be preserved by care. Exposure to sudden changes 

 of temperature without proper clothing, and uncomfortable 

 houses in inclement weather, seldom fail of engendering dis 

 ease. 



The mouth of the Ohio, in the south-west angle of the 

 state, being about 300 feet above the level of the sea, and 

 lake Michigan, in the north-east angle, being 589 feet, while 

 there is no range of hills or elevated ground intervening, the 

 surface of the country must necessarily be level, which is more 

 particularly the case towards the southern part of the state. 

 The rivers, which intersect the country in every direction, have 

 formed deep channels for the conveyance of water, and no 

 great extent of the surface is marshy. The space which I 

 travelled over on foot, between Chicago, on lake Michigan, 

 and the village of Springfield in Sangamon county, a distance 

 of about 200 miles, the surface, with exception of a few miles 



* Melish s View of the United States. 



