100 THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 



vering; and light gauze flannel next to the skin will 

 usually be found to add much to the comfort ; but 

 to those who are frquently exposed, a good substan- 

 tial red or blue one is much preferable. 



Another preventive which I deem of great im- 

 portance, and which has hitherto been entirely neg- 

 lected, is the use of fires. During the rainy sea- 

 son the atmosphere is very damp, and pervades 

 everything; even the closest drawers will not exclude 

 it, and clothes will become mouldy without frequent 

 sunning, or the liberal use of camphor gum sprin- 

 kled among them. Such an atmosphere, especially 

 in a sleeping room, must, of course, be more or less 

 detrimental to health ; but its effects may be entirely 

 overcome by the occasional use of a fire in the af- 

 ternoon, when the air is frequently so cool as to 

 render it very grateful to the senses. Heat is, more- 

 over, one of the most powerful disinfectant agents 

 we have, but how far it would prove effectual in 

 dissipating the miasma is not certainly known, al- 

 though there is no doubt but that it would to a con- 

 siderable extent. 



The observance of the precautions which I have 

 but imperfectly here laid down, for the guide of 

 those who go out to this country, I am very con- 

 fident would do much for the exemption of disease ; 

 and I know no positive reason why the Isthmus of 

 Panama may not, in the future, undergo as great 

 a change in this respect, by the population of the 

 country and cultivation of the soil, as have many 

 portions of our Western and Southern States. 



