120 ON CHAT^^aE OF CLIMATE. 



tional powers ; and not a few, in which low country habits, 

 and length of residence in a hot climate, had paralyzed or 

 altered the original European form of the constitution, and 

 rendered a transfer to this climate, nearly as uncomfortable to 

 the feelings and detrimental to the feeble remains of vitality, 

 as that of a trembling ship lascar, from the hot moist climate 

 of the sea-coast of India, to the chops of the English Channel. 



In Buch cases, it is needless to say, that all hopes of a cure, 

 in other words, of a miracle, were futile, and could only end 

 in disappointment ; and though, increasing acquaintance with 

 the nature and power of the climate, is fast leading to a bet- 

 ter and more rational selection of cases, it appears somewhat 

 extraordinary, that the simple and obvious expedient of con- 

 sulting some qualified person on the spot (at least in doubt- 

 ful cases) should not sooner have been had recourse to. With 

 a view to supply this desideratum, I have subjoined a classi- 

 fication of diseases,* proper to be transferred to the hill cli- 

 mate, and which, though far from complete, will, I trust, be 

 found correct as far as it goes, and, as such, to possess some 

 share of utility. 



We shall now notice another important general considera- 

 tion ; the length of time required for the climate to operate 

 beneficially. Here it must be recollected, that the object in 

 all such cases is, not only to check or cure the existing dis- 

 ease, but to remove, as far as possible, the tendency to relapse, 

 unfortunately one of the invariable concomitants of all Indian 

 diseases. This can be effected by time alone. Long after 

 all symptoms of actual disease have disappeared, the tendency 

 to relapse, on the re-application of the exciting causes, will re- 

 main ; and time alone, by restoring the tone of the constitution 

 generally, and the weakened organs in particular, can remove 

 this proneness to a return of the original disease. 

 * See Sec. IV. 



