NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 265 



it is occafioned by the eider-down beds they lie upon ; but Th. 

 Bartholinus in his medicina Danor. domeft. par. 65, is not of that 

 opinion, as I have before obferved, in the defcription of the 

 eider-bird. 



In the eaft-country, or on the otherfide of File-field, they 

 hardly know any thing of the difeafes, which are common here 

 along the coaft. The air in thofe parts, as has been obferved 

 before, is much purer, drier, and lighter, and as healthful as in 

 any part of Europe. The long and deep valleys are like venti- 

 tilators, or channels, thro' which the wind, as it were, runs in 

 a current from one end or the other, and keeps the air always 

 frefh and in motion. The mountains or high grounds, are re- 

 markable for the falubrity of the air, for moft people die of old 

 age there, without ever having experienced what it is to be fick. 



In the laft century, however, this fine healthy air was twice 

 infected with a plague; efpecially in 1630, when the new city 

 of Chriftiania, loft 3000 inhabitants. 



In 1684, the fame contageous diftemper appeared afrefh, but 

 did not rage fo far about, becaufe they burnt feveral woods, and 

 the heat and fmoak occafioned by thofe fires, difperfed and pu- 

 rified the infected air. What the reverend Mr. Spidberg obferves, 

 in the letter quoted above, is very remarkable, namely, that when 

 the plague raged here, it did not affect Roraas, Quikne, or Mel- 

 dal's copperworks ; for the poifonous and infectious effluvia, were 

 corrected by the ftrong fulphureous fmoak and vapours, that in- 

 corporated with the air, for twelve or fifteen Englifh miles round 

 thofe copper works. But diforders of the lungs and confump- 

 tions are more frequent there, than in thefe weflern parts, caufed 

 probably, by the fame fulphureous vapours, and perfons afflicted 

 with thofe diforders, finds themfelves much relieved by the damp 

 air, which affects weak lungs lefs, than that which is clearer ; for 

 a dry, keen air, is too penetrating and fubtle for them. 



If the rickets, called here the Englifh ficknefs, with which 

 children in other countries are much afflicted, be derived from a 

 damp and foggy air, according to Mr. Daubenton's opinion * ; 



* II n'y a que deux cent ans, que cette maladie eft connue ; elk a commence en 

 Angleterre, & de la elle a pafle en France, en Hollande, en Allemagne, &c. Des 

 celebres medecins ont cm, que le rachitis pouvoit etre caule par un air froid & nebu- 

 leux, charge de vapeurs & d'exhalaifons, &c. Hift. nat. tome iii. p. 56. 



Part II. Y y y then 



