OF THE POLAR SEA. 



233 



disease is known only by name. It is said 

 that the inhabitants of Rocky Mountain 

 House, sixty miles nearer the source of the 

 river, are more severely affected than those 

 at Edmonton. The same disease occurs 

 near the sources of the Elk and Peace 

 Rivers ; but, in those parts of the country 

 which are distant from the Rocky Moun- 

 tain Chain, it is unknown, although melted 

 snow forms the only drink of the natives 

 for nine months of the year. 



" A residence of a single year at Edmon- 

 ton is sufficient to render a family bron- 

 chocelous. Many of the goitres acquire 

 great size. Burnt sponge has been tried, 

 and found to remove the disease, but an 

 exposure to the same cause immediately 

 reproduces it. 



" A great proportion of the children of 

 women who have goitres, are born idiots, 

 with large heads, and the other distinguish- 

 ing marks of cretins, I could not learn 

 whether it was necessary that both parents 

 should have goitres, to produce cretin chil- 

 dren ; indeed the want of chastity in the 



