182 CLIMATE OF [PART I, 



with fresh and rosy faces, and I am satisfied that in 

 this respect New Zealand is in no way inferior to Great 

 Britain. A humid and temperate atmosphere acts 

 especially upon production, both as it regards growth 

 of the body and the numerical strength of families. 

 Nutrition and reproduction are in good order : in re- 

 spect to the numerical strength of families, the 

 climate seems to be particularly favourable to the 

 increase of population ; at least, all the Europeans 

 have large families. We see the effect of this hu- 

 mid climate in certain diseases, to which Europeans, 

 first arriving in this country, are often subjected. 

 These are abscesses, or boils, and eruptive diseases, 

 neither, however, of a malignant character, and both 

 disappearing without medical aid. Amongst the 

 natives carbuncles and diseases of the mucous mem- 

 branes are common : here, however, other causes are 

 acting, of which I shall speak more hereafter. The 

 European, when once acclimatised, does not suffer 

 from any of these causes. True inflammatory dis- 

 eases are uncommon : the south-east wind of New 

 Zealand is never as keen as our north-easter ; but, 

 in consequence of the moist climate, such diseases 

 always assume the character of catarrh. I am not 

 aware that any endemic diseases exist in New Zea- 

 land ; influenza, however, and sometimes croup, ap- 

 pear epidemically, If care is not taken, rheuma- 

 tisms also make their appearance ; but it is certain 

 that causes which, in England, would produce vio- 

 lent colds, and other injurious results, pass over in 



