surgeons' reports MARYLAND FIFTH DISTRICT. 355 



pari)oses. Tbe soil, some of which is excellent, is generally kind, aud sufficiently remunerates the 

 labors of the fainK^r. 



This section inuy be esteemed heathful. The prevailing diseases are pneumonia and miasmatic 

 afl'ectious; the former disease presenting itself, not in the tyiie requiring active depletion, but in 

 a form moditied, as it were, by being engrafted upon a system already imjjressed by malaria ; hence 

 a supporting trciitment, with antiperiodic medicine, has been found most successful. Dysentery 

 occurs to a limited extent in some neigh boi hoods, aud is, I believe, due to imj)urity of the water in 

 those places; the nature of the contauiiniition not yet having been chemically investigated. The 

 effects of malaria upon the system are rarely evinced iu attacks of fever usually so called, or even 

 as intermittent or ague aud fever, but rather in the form of neuralgia, hemicaania, jieriodical tooth- 

 ache, &c. Indeed, the immunity of this people from fever due to malaria is incoutrovertible, as 

 compared with the whole county of Frederick and part of Washington County, iu the western part 

 of tbe State, and the county borderiug on the Snsquehauna in the northeast. An elevated portion 

 of this section, of some extent, is called Elk Eidge, a watershed separating the headwaters of the 

 Patuxeut River from the Potomac, which will, I think, compare favorably with any part of our 

 common country for fertility, beauty, and salubrity ; for its remarkable exemptiou from phthisis, 

 that scourge of the eastern portiou of our couutry, aud, indeed, of the southwestern portion also, 

 as proved by tbe mortuary reports published in Memi>his aud New Orleans. Thirty years' resi- 

 dence in the neighborhood has convinced me that the ridge merits this favorable mention. 



The larger portion of the inhabitants of this district (many being engaged in mechanical pur- 

 suits) are farmers of some enterjirise, and generally earnest iu the improvement of their lands; 

 often expending a portion of their income in the purchase of mineral manures, so that thousands of 

 acres, a few years since woiu out and lying waste, have been reclaimed by the introduction of a 

 judicious system of agriculture. 



Montgomery County, with a white population of 11,349, exhibits least improvement, as com- 

 pared with Baltimore or Howard Counties. Her number of slaves at the last census was 5,421 ; 

 Baltimore and Howard Counties, white population, 05,800 ; slaves, but 6,044. Montgomery 

 County, though in the way of improvement for the last tweuty years, has not yet increased her 

 population over what it was in the year 1800. Her improvement lately has been rapid, aud prop- 

 erty is becoming much subdivided. There are but few middlemen or overseers ; the owner or 

 master generally superintends the men iu the field, and thus a fairer amouut of work is obtained as 

 well from compulsory as from hired labor. 



The lower or tide-water section of this district differs in many respects very materially from 

 the upper. Tbis section is indented by numerous small bays and uavigable rivers, affording con- 

 venient transportation for produce, with very short laud-carriage. Tbe water abounds iu fish, 

 oysters, and other shell-fish, and, at certain seasons, in wiklfowl. 



The soil is light and friable, easily cultivated, and readily improved, much of it productive, and 

 portions of it remarkably fertile. Wheat, corn, and tobacco are the staples; particular attention 

 being paid to the cultivation of tobacco. The land is generally held in large parcels, and its tilL.ge 

 is performed by the colored race, heretofore slaves, in charge of overseers. The whole population 

 of this lower portion of the district was, in 18G0, whites, 37,945 ; slaves, 40,G22 ; total, 78,507. 



The employment of overseers or managers, as they are often called, exempts many of the jirop- 

 erty-holders from the care of their estates, except that of a general supervision ; hence they are 

 gentlemen of leisure, fond of pleasure, devoted to society, given to hospitality, often entertaiuing 

 each other, to which they are impelled by au excessive craving for excitement. They live too fast 

 to attain longevitj', and often anticipate their sales in cash advances from their brokers or agents. 

 Lauded estates are not frequently subdivided ; the young men either qualifying in the learned pro- 

 fessions, or voluntarily expatriating themselves, seeking new homes in the Southwest. 



The coudition of tbe middle class or laboring white population is very unpromising; for they 

 look forward to no future of promise. They are aud have been laborers from generation to gener- 

 ation, and, not awakened by educatiou, appear contented so to contiuue; hence, they are lazy and 

 improvident, listless and inert to the last degree, indicating great degradation ; too careless or too 

 ignorant, or both, to take proper precaution to secure their health, they cousequently suffer, aud 

 chronic disease with a broken constitution is the result. Now, that a new system of labor is about 



