r-*r=i 



371 MEDICAL PAPER S. 



certain they have, for a long time, heen remarkahle for 

 their falutary efFeds, ftrengthening the ftomach, reftor- 

 ing loft appetite, &c. And that numhers have left the 

 place perfedly cured of difeafes which, for many years, 

 had eluded the mofl: powerful remedies. 



But as Brillol was formerly an unhealthy place, and 

 prejudices againft it may ftill remain in the minds of num- 

 hers of perfons, who otherwife would be willing to try 

 the benefits of thefe waters, it may not be improper to 

 afhgnthe caufeswhy it was then fo, and how from their re- 

 moval, It Is now become an exceeding healthy fpot. 



The town of Briftol is fituate on a high dry bank, with 

 the river Delaware to the eaftward and fouthward. There 

 is a quantity of low ground to the fouthward and weft- 

 ward, which in its natural ftate, was overflowed by every 

 fpring tide; to the northweft there is a large pond of wat- 

 er, which, when filled by the winter's rain, overflowed 

 the neighbouring hollow clayey ground, and there I'e- 

 mained ftagnant, until exhaled by the fucceeding warmer 

 feafons, which was feldom before the middle of autumn; 

 at which time agues, remitting, intermitting, and conti-- 

 nued fevers, and indeed every fpecies of autumnal diford- 

 prevailed, not only amongft ftrangers, but even the 

 inhabitants. This continued to be the cafe until the 

 owners of the low marftiy grounds, to the fouthward and 



weftward of the town, embanked and improved them; 

 and a few public fpirited inhabitants employed perfons to 

 cut ditches to drain off^ the fuperfluous water, as it flowed 

 out of the pond. After thefe improvements, the place 

 became healthy; the inhabitants were no longer particu- 

 larly fubje£l to fevers of any kind, and, for fevcral years 

 paft, have enjoyed as much health, as any people in any 

 part of America. 



t- 



i 





L 



ers, 



LETTER. 



II. 



S I R, 



■ \ 



■T 



O M E months ago, in a letter to you (communicated 

 to the public by the Philofophical Society) I gave you 



a Ihort analyfis of .the Briftol Chalybeate waters. 



I have 



