Population  and  Bifeafes  of  Chefter.  139 
lence  the  putrid  ditches  of  towns  belong.  From  this 
filth  being  chiefly  of  animal  origin,  and  from  the  ab- 
fence  of  both  intermittents  and  dyfenteries,  even  in  their 
■neighbourhood  at  Chefter,  I fhould  conclude  that  they 
produce  the  fame  kind  of  fevers  as  human  contagion  : 
and  yet  I doubt,  whether  the  agues  and  dyfenteries  of 
Edinburgh  can  probably  be  attributed  to  any  other  caufe, 
unlefs  the  frequent  fogs  of  that  place,  or  miafmata  from 
the  north  loch,  and  from  the  moift  foundation  of  the 
houfes  in  the  Cowgate,  Sec.  where  there  was  formerly  a 
loch,  may  be  fuppofed  to  produce  fuch  an  effect. 
Another  reafon  of  greater  mortality  in  the  fuburbs 
feems  to  be,  that  their  inhabitants  in  general  are  of  the 
lowed:  rank:  they  want  molt  of  the  conveniences  and 
comforts  of  life : their  houfes  are  fmall,  clofe,  crouded, 
and  dirty : their  diet  affords  very  bad  nourifhment,  and 
their  cloaths  are  feldom  changed  or  waflied.  Thefe  parts 
of  the  town  are  fupplied  lefs  plentifully  than  the  reft 
with  water.  The  air  they  breathe  at  home  is  thus  ren- 
dered noxious  by  refpiration  and  putrefaction . Thefe 
miferable  wretches,  even  when  they  go  abroad,  carry  a 
poifonous  atmofphere  round  their  bodies  that  is  diftin- 
guifhed  by  a noifome  and  offenfive  fmell,  which  is  pecu- 
liarly difguftful  even  to  the  healthy  and  vigorous,  ex- 
citing ficknefs  and  a fenfe  of  general  debility.  It  cannot, 
T 2 therefore, 
