PREVALENCE OF PHTHISIS. 789 



cent, in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, the Ionian 

 Islands, and the southern states of North Ame- 

 rica ; while within the tropical portions of Asia, 

 Africa, and other parts of the world, it forms a 

 very small proportion of the whole, as we have 

 already seen. 



Should it be urged, that a large proportion of 

 the deaths in the West Indies are from phthisis, 

 this apparent exception to the general law, is 

 partly explained by Sir James Clark, in his late 

 valuable Treatise on Climate. For he states that 

 it was formerly the custom to draught seamen, 

 labouring under chronic diseases of the lungs, 

 into ships going to the West Indies. He further 

 informs us, on the authority of Ferguson, Mus- 

 grave, M'Arthuf, Melville, Arnold, and other re- 

 spectable medical writers, who had long resided 

 there, that the climate is highly favourable to 

 individuals predisposed to the tuberculous dia- 

 thesis ; but that, like all other hot countries, it 

 hastens death in advanced stages of the disease. 

 Yet he adds, that in the case of Dr. Heinekin, 

 who remained several years in the mild climate 

 of Madeira, (the mean annual temperature of 

 which is 68*6), after extensive ulceration of the 

 lungs, and nearly the total loss of one lobe, his 

 health always improved during summer, and 

 declined in winter. 



I have also frequently observed, that persons 

 of small chest and delicate constitution, are af- 



