.« U ^ A T R A* 
HUl^plc ^ The natives of the hills through the whole extent of theifland, ara 
fub) tov\eDi ^^i^j^ monftrous wens from the throat, which have been ob- 
ferved of the Vallais, and the inhabitants of other mountainous diftrids 
in Europe, It Jias been ufual to attribute this affedion, to the badnefs, 
thawed -ilate, miaeral quality, or other peculiarity of the waters ; many 
Skilful men having applied rhemfelves to the inveftigation of the fubjefb* 
My experience enables me to pronounce without hefitation, that the dif- 
order, for fuch it is, though it appears here to niark a diftind race of 
people (oreng go&noHg)^ is immediately connected with the hillinefs of 
the country, and of courfe, if the circumftances of the water they ufe 
contribute, it muft be only fo far as the nature of that water is affec- 
ted by the inequality or height of the land. But on Sumatra neither 
fnow nor other congelation is ever produced, which militates againft the 
moft plaufible conjecture that has been adopted concerning the Alpine 
goiters. From every vcfearch that 1 have been enabled to make, I think 
I have reafon to conclude^ that the complaint is owing, among the Su ma- 
trans, to the fogginefs of the air in the valleys between the high moun- 
tains, where, and not on the fummits, the natives of thefe parts refide, I be- 
fore remarked, that between the ranges of hills, the cabsot or denfe mift, 
was vifible forieveral hours every morning; riiing in a thick, opake and 
well defined body, with the fun, and feldom quite ditpcrfed till after nooni 
This phcenomenon, as well as that of the wens, being peculiar to the 
regions of the hills, affords a prefumption that they may be conneded ; 
exclufive of the natural probability, that a cold vapour, grofs to an un- 
^ common degree, and continually enveloping the habitatinno, Jhould 
affe^ with tuoiorc tke tKroot^ «f the liiiiaDitants* I cannot pretend to 
fay how far this folution may apply to the cafe of the goiters, but I re- 
recoUed it to have been mentioned, that the only method of curing 
thefe people, is by removing them from the valleys, to the clear and 
pure air on the tops of the hills; which feems to indicate a fimilar fourcc 
of the diftemper with what I have pointed out. The Sumatrans do not 
appear to attempt any remedy for it, the wens being confiftent with 4hc 
higheft health in other refpeds. 
The 
