[October, 
620 Correspondence. 
never seen it remarked on, viz., that the skin of the negroes when 
in health — even when streams of perspiration were pouring down 
them — was to the touch as cold as marble ; heat on the skin was 
to them always an indication of fever. 
In the year of my advent on the coast there were twenty-one 
new comers — five Englishmen and sixteen (principally) Germans. 
Out of the twenty-one fourteen died, four Englishmen (one of 
whom did not perspire) ; the other ten were Germans. Those 
who died were intemperate, mostly in eating. As a rule excess 
in drinking is not exhibited, new comers being warned against it. 
Brandy and water drinkers fared worse than wine drinkers. 
Beer, in my opinion, is almost poison. 
I may remark that I had a very severe attack of malarial fever 
contracted in the interior, and had to ride on horseback, whilst 
under its influence, nearly 30 miles. But for this, and its influ- 
ence in the nature of black boils, which I suppose to be an effort 
of Nature to purge the blood of the poison, and a severe inflam- 
mation of the eyes, during my residence on the coast of between 
five and six years, I had not even a finger ache. 
The bad name given to the West coast of Africa arises more 
from the excesses of its exotic denizens than from the real effeCts 
of the climate. After the acclimative fever — which all have 
more or less severely — the health of the old denizens is good ; a 
little fever sometimes, and that is all. I do not think that a more 
pleasant (and, I may say, healthy) climate can be found than the 
West coast (Gambia I am speaking of) of Africa from the end of 
October to the commencement of June. From June to October 
is bad enough. August is generally the most fatal month to new 
arrivals.— I am, &c., 
S. Billing. 
SIZE OF HEADS. 
To the Editor of the Journal of Science. 
Sir, — Your note on the decrease of size of hats between 1855 
and 1880 does not seem to take into account the present fashion 
of cropping the hair : this alone would account for the decrease 
of hats without decrease of heads. As brims now give more 
shelter than those of 1855, the hats are now probably required 
to cover less of the head. Till these matters are taken into 
account smaller hats will not prove smaller heads. 
There is another human variation to which attention might 
well be drawn, viz., the greater size and strength of girls. I 
have no measurements, but observation convinces me that our 
daughters, especially of the middle and upper classes, are much 
