1880.] Analyses of Books . 645 
though it is never either as prevalent or as intense as the “ fever 
and chills ” of Louisiana or Georgia. We further find that in 
South Africa — and not merely in the old Cape Colony, but in 
Natal — the so-called zymotic diseases are rarer than in most 
countries of a similar climate, especially those in the northern 
hemisphere. Yet here the Eucalyptus is naturally absent; nor 
are trees of the pine kind, if at all indigenous, found to such an 
extent as to affedt the atmosphere. This leads us to another 
consideration. Mr. Kingzett classes the pine along with the 
Eucalyptus as a sanitary agent. He even says “ It is probable 
that the hygienic influence of the pine is much greate» than that 
of the Eucalyptus, since it has a much wider and more extensive 
distribution in Nature.” We ask, therefore, whether there is 
any country which enjoys in virtue of its pine-forests an immu- 
nity from pestilence similar to that which Australia derives, or 
is supposed to derive, from the Eucalyptus? Russia, Norway, 
British North America, and the more northern States of the 
American Union, are all, or were all, rich in pine-woods. From 
their latitude and climate they are not likely to suffer from yellow 
fever, nor, over the greater part of their extent, from ague , but 
they have been visited by cholera, typhus, and small-pox. Russia 
and Norway, like the rest of Europe, did not escape the black 
death.” Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, have all 
their pine-forests ; but they have from time to time been scourged 
v/ith plague, and in more recent times with cholera, dysenteiy, 
diphtheria,* and, at least as far as Italy is concerned, with ma- 
larial fever of the deadliest type. We naturally wish to learn 
whether the spread and the virulence of this disease has been 
found to be at all influenced by the local presence or absence of 
pine-forests. Has the sanitation of any unhealthy district been 
attempted by planting pine-trees ? If so, with what success . 
and if not, why not ? . „ , , 
We think it will be found that a country partially wooded, 
irrespective of the nature of the trees, will be found more 
healthy than one completely cleared, but otherwise similar, and 
that denudation is generally attended with an increase of sick- 
ness. The back-woods of South America are healthier than the 
towns and plantations. The Pontine Marshes are treeless. 
Woods regulate the temperature of any locality, and above all 
render its changes less abrupt, and by so doing may modify the 
charaaer of the fermentations and putrefaaions which organic 
refuse undergoes. 
It must not be supposed, from these remarks, that we wish to 
dissuade those interested from planting the Eucalyptus in insa- 
lubrious distrias. We wish these experiments to be multiplied, 
and we shall be very glad if any species of this tree can be found 
* We learn from the “ Vi&orian Review” that the town of Hamilton, near 
Melbourne, is now suffering from a severe outbreak of diphtheria. 
