84 



outside the gate of Ostia, in a place called the Three Fountains, there is 

 a convent which in 1868 had been abandoned for a long time on ac- 

 count of its insalubrity, and which bore the significant name of Tomba. 

 Pope Pius IX gave this convent to the Trappist monks who took pos- 

 session of it, but in these deplorable circumstances. For the first few 

 years it was so unhealthy that the monks could not sleep there, being 

 obliged to spend the night in Rome, not returning to the Three Foun- 

 tains till after sunrise. 



The first plantations of eucalyptus were made in 1869. In 1876 the 

 improvement was such that the Trappists could stay the night in the 

 convent without being attacked by fever. In 1877 the number of trees 

 exceeded 2,500. A space of 988 acres was then allotted to the Trappists 

 with the condition that they should plant 100,0'uO trees in ten years. 

 In 1879 the plantation suffered much from frost, but during the follow- 

 ing years the Trappists planted 25,000 trees each year, and at the end 

 of 1881 there were already 55,000 eucalyptus trees at Three Fountains, 

 and palustral fevers were becoming rarer. 



The salubrity of the farm of Three Fountains has been disputed by 

 Tommasi Crudeli, but his assertions are contradicted by Torelli and 

 Baccelli and by the monks who live in the convent of Three Fountains, 

 and who are well able to judge in the matter. (Bull, de la Soc. Ratio- 

 nale d' Acclimation, Jan., 1885).* 



Michon has given two very interesting and convincing examples of 

 palustral localities being made healthy by the planting of eucalyptus. 

 (Bull, de la i^oc. Nat. d' Acclimation, Jan., 1885). A great property 

 situated on the east coast of Corsica, near to Algeria and to the peniten- 

 tiary of Casabianca, was uninhabitable on account of fever, even the 

 warden himself refused to remain there during the summer. The owner 

 had planted before the guard-house a small plantation of from 200 to 

 300 eucalyptus, and from 400 to 500 along a river. These plantations 

 have flourished, and now the warden is able to live there with his family 

 summer as well as winter. The workmen who come down from the 

 mountain to work in the vineyards on this same property, which was 

 formerly so unhealthy, do not contract the fever. 



On the east coast of Corsica there is a small place of the name of 

 Solenzara, in which steel-works were established. When the works 

 were begun to be set up all the population were in the habit of emigrat- 

 ing for four months, from July to October, which shows clearly how 

 fearful the palustral endemic was. One of the owners caused sixty 

 acres to be planted with eucalyptus, since then the fever has disappeared 

 from Solenzara. All the population are prosperous, and no one now 

 thinks of emigrating during the summer. 



In certain localities extremely favourable to the development of palu- 

 dism the plantations have not succeeded in completely dispelling the fever. 



Riviere, who has disputed the febrifuge properties of the eucalyptus 

 plantations, giving as bis argument the persistence of the fever at Ain 

 Mokra and at the mines at Mokta (on Lake Fetzara in the province of 

 Constantine), has himself furnished the explanation of their non- success 

 which is after all relative, because the plantations of eucalyptus have 

 even at Mokra produced an improvement in the sanitary condition. 



* I have personally ascertained on the spot from the monks the beneficial effects 

 of the Eucalyptus plantation. (Editor.) 



