OK CHAN^GE or CLIMATE. 119 



Indian disease. Fever is the best illustration of this fact ; 

 the tendency to a recurrence of febrile paroxysms, is increased, 

 by repetition, to a degree totally unconnected with the debi- 

 lity, or extent of organic lesion produced, and only to be ac- 

 counted for, by the all-powerful influence of habit on the con- 

 stitution. In one of the most obstinate forms of this disease, 

 Intermittent Fever, it is frequently sufficient to put off, or 

 change the period of access, to produce a speedy cure, and in 

 most cases, the transition from one type to another, from a 

 Tertian to a Quotidian, for instance ; in other words, " the 

 change of habit," is considered a salutary indication. 



On the other hand, when the constitution has not suffi- 

 cient power to produce this salutary re-action, or what is worse, 

 when the sudden change of distribution of the circulating 

 mass, throws an unusual load on internal organs, unfitted by 

 disease for sustaining the shock, the effect must be propor- 

 tionally mischievous, and cases of this description, come un- 

 der the category of diseases which are not curable by a sudden 

 change of climate ; or, at least, not until the diseased action 

 is checked, and the powers of the constitution restored by a 

 sea-voyage, or residence on the sea-coast. 



These positions will perhaps be better understood, when 

 treating of the effects of the climate on Indian diseases, in de- 

 tail. I have dwelt the more on them, because I conceive, that 

 a want of attention to them, or, more correctly perhaps, the 

 general ignorance of the necessity of attending to them, has 

 been the cause of much unnecessary disappointment, and de- 

 preciation of the curative and restorative powers of the cli- 

 mate. Many cases have been sent to us for treatment, in the 

 last stage of organic disease ; others, in which functional de- 

 rangement had proceeded to such a pitch, that the slightest 

 shock was sufficient to overturn the balance of the constitu- 



