Chap, ii.] f be Sirocco. 463 



harmattan. The human body does not efcape the 

 parching effects of this wind j the eyes, noftrils, lips, 

 and palate, are rendered dry and uneafy ; the lips and 

 nofe become fore, and though the air is cool, there is 

 a troublefome fenfation of pricking heat on the fkin. 

 If the harmattan continues four or five days, the fcarf- 

 fkin peels off, firfc from the hands and face, artd after- 

 wards from the reft of the body. 



Though this wind is fo fatal to vegetable life, and 

 occafions thefe troublefome -effects to the human fpe- 

 cies, it is nevertheiefs highly conducive to health -, it 

 flops the progrefs of epidemics, and relieves the patients 

 labouring under fluxes and intermittent fevers. In- 

 fection is not eafy at that time to be communicated, 

 even by inoculation. It is alfo remarkable for the 

 cure of ulcers and cutaneous difeafes *. 



The firocco (fo called by the Italians becaufe it is 

 fuppofed to blow from Syria, and in the South of 

 France, the Levant wind) refembles in fome of its 

 effects the harmattan, but it differs from it in being ex- 

 tremely ir.falubrious. It fometimes blows for feveral 

 days together, to the great annoyance of the whole 

 vegetable and animal creation ; its medium heat is 

 calculated at 1 1 2 degrees j it is fatd to vegetation and 

 deftructive to mankind, and efpecially to flrangers ; it 

 depreffes the fpirits in an unufual degree ; it fufpends 

 the powers of digeflion, fo that rhofe who venture to 

 eat a heavy fupper, while this wind prevails, are com- 

 monly found dead in their beds the next morning, t of 

 what is called an indigeftion. The fick, at that afflict- 

 ing period, commonly fink under the prelTure of their 

 difeafes 3 and it is cuilomary in the morning, after this 



*Dobf. Account, Phil. Trar.f. vol. Ixxi. part i. 



wind 



