DR. ANGUS SMITH ON PEAT. 343 



main quantity of matter comes off in water and in a visible 

 form, is one that must lead us to an explanation of the 

 rare presence if not entire absence of intermittent or other 

 fevers as a result of living near peat. The whole amount 

 of matter removed by decay is much less than with other 

 vegetation, since the bulk is continually accumulating 

 instead of dispersing into the air to do mischief. 



The subject maybe dark ; but we must take the facts in 

 a broad way until we can narrow them ; and if peat-bogs 

 produced malaria at a temperature at which we know it 

 to be producible, Ireland and Scotland would not be places 

 of resort for health. If, therefore, peat-plants can be 

 made to grow and push out the unhealthy, or to cover 

 over wet surfaces which have been unhealthy, a great point 

 is attained. 



The water from the bogs has powerful antiseptic qualities, 

 as we know ; and that these qualities should be associated 

 with the usual emanations from putrefying vegetable sub- 

 stances is a contradiction which is not to be thought of; 

 neither can we believe with some that common putrefac- 

 tion goes on in peat-bogs as in marshes, so long as the 

 water has such different properties. The assertion, how- 

 ever, that decomposition giving out gases does take place 

 demands attention ; I suppose that in warmer climates than 

 ours it does not arrive at its conclusion so soon as with us. 

 This is somewhat of a repetition ; but this point rises again 

 here naturally ; besides, I am not attempting to decide, but 

 am trying to reconcile facts, or such statements as I believe 

 to be well grounded. 



If, then, it is the colytic action of the peat, the action 

 restraining decomposition, to which the peat-bogs owe 

 their healthful atmosphere, the plant may be of little con- 

 sequence. I have not beside me a list of all the plants 

 found in marshes ; but I believe they are always different 

 from those in peat-bogs, and take it so for granted at 



