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Sect, XIV.] MEDICINE AND MEDICAL STATISTICS. 



449 



the fifst increases, and the second dimniishes the amount 

 of watery fluid in the system ; the one as a general rule 

 conduces to health, the other to disease. How far these 

 conditions modify morbid action, it would be desirable to 



ascertain. 



That intermittent and remittent fevers are 



the peculiar product of moist localities, experience amply 

 proves ; and although the subject yet requires to be more 

 fully examined, facts are not wanting to lead to the sup- 



position that dysentery, and 



approaching to 



dysentery, are more frequently the result of atmospheric 

 changes in certain dry localities within the tropics, than 

 they are in moist localities in similar parallels of latitude. 

 The relative degrees of health enjoyed in vessels differ- 

 ing in the hygrometrical condition of the air between 



w \-^ 



decks, from whatever cause (exclusive of external causes) 

 such differences may arise, is a subject which . has Ion 

 eno'aged the attention of all classes of naval officers ; and 

 although the majority are of opinion that a dry condition 

 is the more healthy, still there are others practically ac- 

 quainted with the subject, who do not admit that the 

 difference is appreciable, or who altogether repudiate the 

 idea of damp decks having anything whatever to do with 

 the health of a ship's company. As these conditions 

 reatly depend on the modes of cleaning the luv/er decks, 

 it more especially belongs to the medical officers to watch 



w^ith vigilance, and report (but not without due and 

 ample experience) the effects of dampness, whether from 

 accident, stress of weather, or artificially produced, as 

 well as the effects of dryness artificially maintained by 

 swinging stoves or other contrivances. 



The great difference between the appearancr^ ox weu 



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