304 



DR R. E. SCORESBY-JACKSON 



from a large body of water, and probably none more than forty miles distant from 

 the sea. The same may be said with respect to the proximity of mountains ; for 

 there is scarcely any point commanding an extensive general view, from which a 

 range of mountains may not be seen. There are five principal mountain chains, 

 all of which assume a direction from N.E. to S.W. Besides these there are many 

 detached groups, all of which exert a peculiar influence upon the climate. Forests 

 do not form a special characteristic of Scotland, nor is there any barren plain 

 within or near the country to modify the condition of the atmosphere in its 

 passage across the land. But the ice-fields of arctic regions, lying not very far 

 northward of Scotland, do probably exert a modifying power. 



The geology of Scotland is one of the most striking features of the country ; 

 and that the structure of the land, together with the physical and chemical char- 

 acteristics of the soil upon its surface, exercises a powerful influence upon the dis- 

 tribution of disease, I do not for a moment doubt ; so much, indeed, am I impressed 

 with the belief of this, that I have been for some time collecting materials, Avith a 

 view of showing, more distinctly than has hitherto been done, the relations which 

 these circumstances bear to each other. 



The following table will serve to indicate the condition of the inhabitants of 

 Scotland, during the several years under investigation, with respect to other 

 external causes which might possibly divide with the weather the responsibility 

 of determining the death-rate from all causes, or from any particular disease. 



{ 



TABLE SHOWING THE Amount and Details of the Poor-Law Expenditure in each of the 

 Years from 1852 to 1861 inclusive ; also the State of the Fiars-Prices of the County of 



Edinburgh for 



THE 



Crops 



FROM 1855 TO 



1861 inclusive : — 













Year. 



1852. 



1853. 



1854. 



1855. 



1856. 



1857. 



1858. 



1859. 



1860. 



1861. 



1 J 



Average. 



Poor-Law. 



£ 



£ 



£ 



£ 



£ £ 



£ 



£ 



£ 



£ 



£ I 



Relief of Poor on the Roll, 



401,954 



411,135 



428,708 



461,243 



486,689 492,118 



496,297 



512,751 



518,546 



531,233 



474,067 



Relief of Casual Poor, . 



25,986 



24,114 



24,386 



27,356 



22,188! 20,869 



27,915 



25,752 



22,218 



24,118 



24,490 



Medical Relief, . . . 





21,436 



21,737 



27,874 



27,166 



24,008' 24,205 



24,948 



25,691 



26,738 



26,908 



25,071 



Management, .... 





51,644 



52,352 



56,068 



58,767 



61,462 63,142 



66,307 



67,166 



67,048 



67,717 



61,167 



Law Expenses, . . . 





13,266 



13,036 



9,780 



10,290 



8,474' 7,637 



7,165 



9,753 



8,750 



7,975 



9,613 1 



Poor-liouse Buildings, . 





21,186 



21,644 



25,850 



20,605 



24,847, 27,277 



18,066 



16,250 



19,973 



25,948 



22,165 1 



General Sanitary Measures , 



393 



532 



6,259 



6,355 



1,677' 1,122 



... 



... 



... 





1,634 1 



Total Expenditure, . 



535,865 



544,550 



578,925 



611,782 



629,345 636,370 



1 



640,698 



657,363 



663,273 



683,899 



618,210 



Fiars-Prices. 



S. D . 



S. D. 



S. D. 



S. D. 



S. D. 



S. D. 



S. D. 



S. D. 



S. D. 



S. D. 



S. D. 



Wheat, 1st, .... 









70 9 



40 



38 4 



40 1 



44 8 



47 8 



56 4 



48 3 



2d, . . 







... 







68 



35 



35 6 



.S7 



42 



44 8 



54 



*^' \\ 



Barley, 1st, . . 







.. . 







40 6 



36 4 



27 3 



31 7i 



37 6 



40 5 



31 3 



34 111 ! 



2d, . . 







... 







38 



32 



25 



29 



35 



38 



29 



32 31 1 



„ 3d, . . 













36 



28 



22 6 



27 



32 6 



35 



27 6 



29 91 



Oats, 1st, . . 







.* . 







29 6 



23 



22 6 



23 



25 10 



29 3 



25 4 



25 51 f 



2d, . . 







. > . 







27 6 



20 



20 6 



21 



22 6 



27 



23 6 



23 H 



Pease and Beans, 













45 



37 6 



37 3 



39 10 



43 8 



40 7 



42 6 



40 101 



Oatmeal, . . . 













21 3 



19 2 



16 51 



16 8f 



18 9 



21 5J 



18 9 



18 111 ' 



