82 



PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



[PART I. 



the experience bequeathed by former gloomy visitations 

 has added to the facilities for checking their recurrence. 1 



In some of the disorders incidental to the climate, and 

 the treatment of ulcerations caused by the wounds of 

 the mosquitoes and leeches, the native Singhalese have 

 a deservedly high reputation ; but their practice, when 

 it depends on specifics, is too empirical to be safely re- 

 lied on ; and their traditional skill, though boasting a 

 well authenticated antiquity, achieves few triumphs in 

 competition with the soberer discipline of European 

 science. 



1 " It is worthy of remark, that 

 although all the troops in Ceylon 

 have occasionally, but at rare inter- 

 vals, suffered severely from cholera, 

 the disease has in very few instances 

 attacked the officers, or indeed Eu- 

 ropeans in the same grade of life. 

 This is one important difference to 

 be borne in mind when estimating the 

 comparative risk of life in India 



and Ceylon. It must be due to the 

 difference in comforts and quarters, or 

 more particularly to the exemption 

 from night duty, by far the most try- 

 ing of the soldiers' hardships. The 

 small mortality amongst the officers 

 of European regiments in Ceylon is 

 very remarkable." Note by Dr. CA- 

 MERON, Army Med. Staff. 



