174 



Marshes, and their effects upon human Health. Vol. XII. 



not sure of it. We would prefer that the 

 lime should not come in immediate contact 

 with either the seed or vines. In addi- 

 tion to the remark of the Agriculturist, as 

 to the value of lime as a manure, even if it 

 does not protect from disease, we would ob- 

 serve, that it is especially adapted to the 

 potatoe, imparting to the tubers that ingre- 

 dient which makes them mealy, and which 

 is particularly needed on sandy soils. Pota- 

 toes of the first quality are now worth 75 

 cents and upwards per bushel, and will pro- 

 bably be a dollar in the spring. At these 

 prices, they are the mopt profitable crop that 

 can be raised. But if the application of lime 

 is as efficacious as we suppose, and it should 

 be generally adopted, the price would come 

 down to nearly its former level. — Exchange 

 paper. 



Marshes, and their effects upon human 

 Health. 



It is well known that the effect of marshes 

 on health is great and decided. In districts 

 which abound in them, the inhabitants suffer 

 not only from intermitting fevers, but from 

 rheumatism and its kindred diseases. Their 

 influences are not of that insidious character 

 which some suppose, or at least the effects 

 are always evident in the countenance and 

 frame of the individuals. Emaciation, en- 

 larged abdomen, feebleness, are some of the 

 general effects which manifest themselves 

 in persons who claim to enjoy health. But 

 it is not necessary that these wet and marshy 

 grounds should bo extensive in order to ex- 

 hibit a deleterious influence upon health; 

 even ditches, stagnant pools, motionless wa- 

 ter, each exhale matters which change 

 healthy to unhealthy actions of the system. 

 Puddles and pools, drains and sewers, ope- 

 rate most injuriously, and contain poisonous 

 elements, which are exhaling so long as a 

 particle remains to moisten the surface. Our 

 country abounds in marshes. Some places 

 which are now healthy and free from inter- 

 mittents, were once abounding in them. 

 The progress of agriculture has in many 

 instances entirely banished this severe dis- 

 ease, and so as good husbandry extends a 

 two-fold influence, beneficial in its charac- 

 ter, is sure to follow healthfulness and 

 wealth. Man never benefits himself in a 

 legitimate way, without doubling his bless- 

 ing, first receiving them into his own bo- 

 som, and then that of his neighbour. It is 

 not however at all essential that a marsh or 

 pool should exist, in order that poisonous va- 

 por should be generated. Animal and vege- 

 table matters in combination in deep mould, 

 Buch as is found in the western prairie, is 



sufficient to generate a pestilence when ex- 

 posed to the sun beams, and when moistened 

 merely with dew, is sufficient in itself to 

 form the miasm and float it in the atmos- 

 phere. Turf new ploughed, or turned over, 

 especially if the areas are large, turns a 

 country before healthy, into a region of sick- 

 ness. From researches which have been 

 instituted by Thenard and Dupuytren, Mos- 

 cati, and by M. Regaud d 1' Isle, the mias- 

 matic exhalations have been found to contain 

 animal matter, and hence it is probable that 

 it is really composed of both animal and ve- 

 getable matter. It has been shown by Vau- 

 quelin, that the exhalations from the Pon- 

 tine marshes, afforded animal matter in a 

 putrescent state. In the foregoing instances 

 however, this matter was obtained from the 

 water or soil, but Boussingault succeeded in 

 obtaining it from the atmosphere over the 

 great southern American marshes, a fact 

 which goes to show that the poisonous efflu- 

 via is exhaled in a tangible state. These 

 poisonous gasses contain in addition to ani- 

 mal matter, light carburetted hydrogen, 

 azote and carbonic acid, and sulphuretted 

 hydrogen, and sometimes a trace of phosphu- 

 retted hydrogen. By vaporization of dew 

 in the rains upon our western prairies, and 

 the water of marshes, these organic and 

 poisonous effluvias are disseminated in the 

 atmosphere, and are wafted by the breeze 

 over wide areas. 



An interesting and important fact may be 

 stated in this place, viz: that age influences 

 or modifies the effects of marsh miasm. In- 

 fants or children under two, are less affected 

 than those of three or four years. This 

 may arise from the greater exposure of the 

 latter. So old persons are less affected than 

 those of middle age, or who arc engaged in 

 artisan pursuits. Children when attacked 

 vyith disease, fall victims to its influence 

 more easily than adults; their mortality is 

 greater in the proportion of 1000 to 1546, 

 and it has been observed that fewer deaths 

 occur in infants below one year, than in 

 those of three or four years; alter ten years 

 the influence of marshes is less to be feared, 

 and the capability to resist marsh miasm in- 

 creases up to twenty-five years, from twenty- 

 five to fifty-five the susceptibility again in- 

 creases, though it is never so great as in 

 children between the ages of two and ten 

 years. Old persons, as already stated, are 

 more exempt from marsh influence. Food 

 and exposure furnish conditions which favour 

 its influence. Bad and ill-conditioned food, 

 night air, especially when heavy dews are 

 formed, favour very strongly miasmatic dis- 

 'ease. When ill-clothed and ill-fed troops 

 are forced to march by night in a marshy 



