362 



SUEGEONS REPORTS KENTUCKY FIRST DISTRICT. 



KENTUCKY— FIRST DISTRICT. 

 Extracts from report of Dr. J. M. Best. 



• * * By openiug a map of Kentucky, it will be seen that tbe First Cougres- 



sional District, of which it is required to give some geographical as well as other description, lies 

 in the western extremity of the State, and is rudely triangular in shape, with one comparatively 

 straight and two curving and irregular borders. Aggregated within these lines are to be found 

 the fourteen counties that constitute the district; the names and numbers of each as sub-districts 

 will be giveu in tabular form below. 



The extent of surface in altitude presents three levels or tables. Starting on the Ohio River, 

 at Paducah, at a point midway between its highest freshetmark and lowest stage, and ascending 

 to the height of tliirty feet, tbe first table, which is that of overflow, will be reached. The Cumber- 

 land and Tennessee Rivers flow from the south through the upper counties; Clark's River, May- 

 field, and Massac Creeks rise in the central and lower counties, with numerous other and smaller 

 tributaries, inclusive of ponds and lakes. The shores of the Ohio and Mississippi, in extent nearly 

 half of the entire outline of the district, present tbe banks and lowlands that constitute the first 

 table. 



Rising twenty feet above this, a greater extent of level surface is found, called glades. ' Ascend- 

 ing one hundred feet still higher, the highest uplands are entered, mostly undulating and beautiful, 

 with some broken parts. 



TABULAE DESCEIPTION. 



No. 



1 



2 



3 



4 



5 



6 



7 



8 



9 



10 



11 



12 



13 



14 



Counties. 



McCiacken 

 Marshall .. 

 Calloway.. 



Graves 



Hickman .. 



Fulton 



Ballard 



Livingston 



Lyon 



Caldwell .. 



Trigg 



Union 



Webster. .. 

 Crittenden 



be n 

 o >■ . 



^ — 'C 

 u C3 S 



tH !3 ^ 



20 

 10 



74 

 15 

 10 

 18 

 20 

 25 



3 



5 

 12 

 12 



8 

 12 



c^ 

 bot- 

 es ° 



Q oj CO 

 O C^ Q 



45 

 30 



40 

 15 

 48 

 40 

 45 

 10 

 15 

 3S 

 10 

 5 

 18 

 20 



3 



0.5 



35 



60 



524 



70 



42 



42 



35 



G5 



82 



CO 



72 



83 



74 



68 



Undulating uplands. 



Undulating and broken. 



Not much broken. 



Not much broken. 



Gently undulating. 



Undulating and broken. 



Gently undulating. 



Undulating and brokeu. 



Undulating and much broken 



Gently undulating, with ponds. 



Uudulating and much broken, with a number of ponds. 



Much brokeu. 



Undulating and broken. 



Undulating and broken. 



Attempting t() be approximative only with the above table, it is sufficient to show the relative 

 percentage of the low as well as the flat lauds to the uplands as a source of malaria and other cau.ses 

 of disease. The soil of the uplands is quite fertile; that of the glades or second table com])ara- 

 tively so; while that of the table of overflow, being low, rich, and damp, is remarkable for fertility 

 and luxuriant growths. The uplands, from their height and better air, together with being less 

 thickly -set with trees and being better drained, offer fewer causes for the production of disease than 

 the other parts, and have a corresponding reputation for being healthful. 



Descending to tbe glady portion, or second table, with a surface so level, and with fewer nat- 



