800 PRACTICE OF THE ANCIENTS. 



des, and other ancient physicians, who treated 

 inflammation of the lungs, pleurae, throat, and 

 other parts of the body, by the inhalation of steam, 

 by hot gargles, external fomentations, the warm 

 bath and friction, the application of heated iron, 

 or bags of hot sand, ointments, cataplasms, cere- 

 cloth, and wrapping the part with woollens. 



Sir James Clark informs us, that in Paris, the 

 mortality from consumption is greater among fe- 

 males than males, in the ratio of 13 or 14 to 10 ; 

 and that in Berlin the difference is still greater 

 between girls and boys. But at Hamburgh, Ge- 

 neva, and New York, there is a slight excess 

 among males. According to the Report of the 

 Registrar General, the mortality was 31,090 

 throughout England and Wales in the year 

 1837-8, among females ; and 27,935 among males. 

 Mr. Farr rightly ascribes the difference partly 

 to the sedentary life of females, and partly to 

 compression of the chest by costume; both of 

 which diminish respiration, and impair the vital 

 properties of the blood, which deposits tubercu- 

 lous matter with an unnatural facility. (Second 

 Report of the Reg. General, p. 73.) The evil is 

 doubtless aggravated by exposure of the neck, 

 shoulders, and arms, the want of sufficiently warm 

 clothing in winter, (especially of flannel drawers 

 when the constitution is delicate,) thick stockings, 

 boots, and shoes. 



According to Lombard and Papavoine, above 



