596 JAMAICA, 



BOOK III. 



CHAP. VIL 



«sr^ %^ i^ ^-v^ £-N^ 



SECT. I. 



Meteorological Remarks pn the Climate and Atmofphere 



of Jamaica. 



WHEN the influence of the conftitution of the air upon human 

 bodies is duly confidered, it will appear that this fubjedl holdsa 

 very near connexion with what has juft preceded. The ftudy of dif- 

 eafes andfymptoms, which derive their origin from this fourcej.'hould 

 undoubtedly claim attention from every phyfician, who wiflies to trace 

 the occult caufe of a fudden po'pular ficknefs, and who, by due obferv- 

 ance of the peculiar fymptoms and maladies accompanying every 

 change in the atmofphere, will be the better prepared and inftrudted 

 to counteradl their effedts upon health. 



I do not, however, take upon me to point out examples in Jamaica 

 of this correfpondence between the ftate of the air, and the fymptoms 

 of difeafes ; but only to publifh fome few obfervations, which I could 

 not fo well introduce in the former part of this work, where I gave a 

 general delcription of the climate ; and to exhibit a comparative view 

 of it, with other places. For this purpofe, I have principally felecSled 

 Charles Town in South Carolina. 



The greatefl; heat ufually remarked in London, (I fpeak not of one 

 or two fingularly hot days) duribg the months of June, July, and 

 Auguft, is very little inferior to the general medium of heat obferved 

 at Spani/h Town in Jamaica ; yetthis heat at Spanifh Townisneither 



infalutary. 



