161 
been a gigantic fraud, and other places will suffer in conse- 
quence. 
As I was the first genuine Englishman to try this climate 
for the winter— now twelve years ago, I feel it all the more 
my duty to record the impressions made upon me now, and 
as I have always been one of the most enthusiastic believers 
in such climates for suitable cases, and have on both occa- 
sions derived great benefit, I am anxious that warnings 
given may not be neglected, but that this wonderful health- 
giving treasure may be preserved to Europe for many years 
and not be endangered by any who, either through igno- 
rance of curative principles or zeal to become rich, are led 
to overlook the true interests of the valley. 
From these impressions I must pass on to the observa- 
tions which I have made during the winter ; but as I have 
not yet had time to put all my figures together, or revise 
them, I can only refer to general results, but perhaps by so 
doing I may receive some valuable hints for next winter’s 
work from those who have more experience in such things 
than I possess. 
Evaporation. 
The amount of moisture in the air is one of the most dif- 
ficult questions to deal with in such a climate as Davos, and 
much misunderstanding has existed concerning it. Dr. 
Spengler would lay greater stress on the amount of abso- 
lute moisture in the air than on the relative or percentage of 
moisture, and I said ( loc . cit.) that it was not enough to con- 
sider the relative moisture, but that “in my opinion the com- 
parison of the weight of moisture in the air was to be recom- 
mended, as in that way we could see what we were breath- 
ing,” which is no doubt correct, though I should, if writing 
the same thing now, express myself somewhat differently, 
for the physiological action must depend more on the evapo- 
ration from the body and lungs than on any other factor, 
and this must be divided into two categories — firstly the 
