always be uncovered when it is in the house. These are hut a 

 few examples of the sort of treatment required to meet the 

 case, but as I am not trying to write a popular lecture I leave 

 many other points unmentioned. 



But the main remedy, to my mind, is wherever practicable to 

 spend the hot days, and if necessary the hot nights, in under- 

 ground rooms. A reduction of temperature varying from ten to 

 more degrees can be obtained by this means. I have often seen 

 lives saved by this plan. It may be objected that as we have 

 not deep drainage these rooms will be damp and unhealthy. 

 jSTo doubt to a certain extent they will be so, but you are flying 

 from a great danger, and it is rational to risk a smaller one for 

 safety. When we have deep drainage this objection will be 

 removed. If it can be proved that by removing children to a 

 cool temperature we can save their lives in summer, it is to 

 be hoped the day is not far distant when benevolent persons 

 will cause large, well-ventilated, cool resorts to be built in this 

 city, to which babies may be taken during the heat of the day 

 The place might be made attractive with fountains, flowers, &c. 

 The wonder is that infants can last a single day in the 

 miserable tenements of the poor in this city — the heat in them 

 is often so intense. 



As I do not wish to write a paper upon treatment, I shall 

 conclude by noticing an argument that was supported by 

 several medical men at our last discussion upon the subject. 

 This was that the babies died because they could not perspire. 

 The heat became intense, and a large amount of heat was ab- 

 sorbed, and as none of it could be rendered latent by the pro- 

 cess of perspiration (as in adults) the blood became too hot 

 to be compatible with the preservation of life; Now, I have 

 been unable to discover any proof that infants do not perspire. 

 2nd. I have often seen them covered with perspiration ; and, 

 3rd, the wonder is that any one could imagine that the process 

 of perspiration could be suspended in a healthy subject, seeing 

 that the sudoriparous glands are fully developed, the skin is 

 soft, and the blood supply complete. It seems more probable 

 that this heat acts directly upon the nervous system. It causes 

 what has been called fluxionary hyperemia of the brain, with 

 consequent disordered function, and leading to the establish- 

 ment of fatal forms of brain disease. 



Again, by depressing the sympathetic and other ganglia, it 

 arrests or causes the disorder of, secretion of various glands. 

 In consequence of this the food taken is undigested and 

 vomited, or passing into the bowels causes that diarrhoea which 

 is the most obstinate of summer diseases to treat. The essence 

 of all is depression. Hence so many deaths are ascribed to 

 " atrophy and debility" — terms that should not, if possible, be 



