314 surgeons' reports — Pennsylvania — tenth district. 



ou the Little Schuylkill, west of Port (Jlinton. Our soutlieiu border is a long, blue, barren, aurt 

 uuiuLahited ratige of inouiitaiiis, deiiouiiiiated the Kittutiiiny or Blue Mountain, separating us from 

 our neighbors of Berks County. This mountain is the only lorinatiou we both possess; they 

 inhabit the lower, and consequently older, ibrniations. The disintegration of the above strata 

 forms our soils, and influences the health of the inhabitants. 



Lebanon County embraces an area of two hundred and eighty-eight .square miles, and its 

 geological formation extends Irom the Carboniferous on the northwest to the Primary rocks along 

 its southern boundary. The Kittatinny or Blue Mountain on the north is the most southern of 

 the Ai)alaehi;in chain of mountains, and is composed of a rock of the lowest sedimentary deposits, 

 being similar to the Potsdam sandstone of the State of New York ; it exhibits very evident indica- 

 tions of igneous action, having, no doubt, been thrown up to its present height of six hundred feet 

 above the adjoining valley by some great convulsive force. 



On the northwestern flank of this mountain, near its base, is found the mountain or crinoidal 

 limestone, the first superincumbent rock of the Old Ecd Sandstone groui:) ; and still higher than this, 

 in the 'lower series of the Carboniferous group, occurs the amygdaloidal sandstone, at the foot of 

 the mountain, in the valley of the Swatara Creek. Above the last-mentioned formation, there are 

 several strata of slaty sandstones and shales, passing into the pudding-stone, or conglomerate, 

 which is immediately beueath.the coal-seams. 



The lower series of the lied Sandstone Ibrmation, situated between the first mountain and the 

 Silurian limestone, is geologically placed above the latter, and constitutes the largest area ot culti- 

 vable lands, and is in an improved agricultural condition. 



The great limestone formation is contiguous to the latter; and adjoining it on the south is the 

 South or Blue Mountain of Virginia, which is mainly composed of syenitic granite, and in many 

 places along its surface is found the conglomerate sandstone. Under this conglomerate, and in 

 connection with trappean rock, occurs at Cornwall a large deposit of magnetic oxide of iron. Speci- 

 mens of this have yielded 70 per cent, of metallic iron. Many furnaces are supplied from this 

 mountain of iron, and the quantity is supposed to be inexhaustible. 



The surface of Lebanon County is undulating; the soil is of superior quality and is under excel- 

 lent cultivation. Agriculture is the jjrincipal i)ursuit of the inhabitants, who are descendants of 

 Germans, and are frugal and industrious in their habits. The same observations may be made 

 with regard to. that part of Schuylkill County south of Sharp Mountain. 



The diseases most common in this class are those afl'ecting the digestive organs, dyspepsia, 

 chronic affections of the liver, «&c. ; hence we find a large proportion of those exempt from military 

 duty are exempted ou account of loss of teeth. The Principal cause for the prevalence of these 

 diseases is to be found in the food and cooking of the people. Everything is fried in grease ; they 

 eat a great deal of salt-meat and fish, tough pies, and sour bread ; hence indigestion, and hence loss 

 of teeth, • 



The inhabitants of the coal region are made up from many nationalities. The Irish predominate ; 

 Germans come next in point of numbers ; then the Welsh, English, and Scotch, in the order named. 

 We have also French, Swedes, Danes, and Hollanders, in less numbers. The Irish are intemperate, 

 dirty, and unhealthy ; they seldom live over fifty years. They are industrious, and can live ou less 

 than any other class when they are kept in proper subjection ; but when wages are high they will 

 work about half the time, and spend the rest in dissipation and idleness. The W^elsh are industri- 

 ous, frugal, and generally upright ; are good citizens and intelligent peojjle. They are generally 

 healthy. The English and Scotch are, as a genertil thing, more intelligent and ambitious. They 

 are the leading men among the miners. Many of them have become wealthy. Indeed, the most 

 wealthy men in the coal-region have risen from the ranks of miners. 



The diseases of the coal-region are principally those of the air-passages, resulting from sudden 

 changes of temperature, and are generally of an inflammatory character. We have no miasmatic 

 disorders, and as a general thing this district is very healthful. 



Schuylkill County is fertile in accidents. The mining and transportation of anthracite coal, 

 which form the principal pursuit of the inhabitants, are often attended with danger both to life and 

 limb, and render the skill of the surgeon a matter of constant requisition. 



The first anthracite-coal basin of Pennsylvania occupies the greater portion of the county, an<l, 



