DR. LITTLES CORAL THEORY 
694 
bok and Bali, the amount of fever (as stated to arise from that 
cause) is very trifling, and found in land-locked harbours, where 
air stagnates, and where heat and moisture exert their fullest in- 
fluence on decaying vegetable matter. 
Of Bimah in Sumbawa, Captain Krmdson writes “ this port 
is a complete basin, shut up all round by very high mountains. 
Lining the bay are extensive mudflats, giving the most offensive 
odours possible, being exposed to most intense rays of the sun. In 
the bay there are likewise large oyster beds and coral reefs.* Du¬ 
ring the middle of the day the heat is so severe that it is scarcely 
possible to breathe, when all of a sudden a cold blast from the 
mountains will make a, circuit of the bay, and those who are ex¬ 
posed to it invariably suffer from headaches .” Thus at Bimah we 
have stinking mud flats, chilly mountain blasts alternating with 
intense heat, quantities of putrid fish, damp situation, dense 
vapours, and brackish water, to account for fever without being 
driven to the necessity of attributing it to doubtful coral reefs. 
During the S. E. monsoon “ the evenings are extremely hot and 
sultry, until towards midnight, when the cold land wind sets in 
which is so cool as to congeal the oil in the lamps” ! ! 
Would any rational man wish for better causes of fever ? 
Writing ofDelli in the island of Timor, that excellent observer 
Mr. Earl, states, tha,t there is an exposed coral reef within a third of 
a mile from the beach, and that u at the back of the town is a level 
plain, which during the westerly or rainy monsoon becomes a 
fresh water marsh ; at other seasons it is dry except at certain 
spots where the water is retained in lagoons or shallow ponds” 
Here we have the elements of miasm, and Mr. Earl himself adds 
“ I have hitherto considered that the fresh water swamps at the 
back of the town, coupled with the stagnation of the atmosphere were 
primary causes” (of fever). Captain Knudson says that the water 
is very bad , and surely all these causes combined will account for 
the unhealthness of Delli, without including the influence of coral 
reefs. The Aru islands consist of “ fresh water swamps, and the 
jungle is so thick that it is seldom penetrated by the natives” There 
are likewise exposed coral reefs, and Dr. Little states that Captain 
Wolfe of the “ Velocipede” was attacked with “the usual fever 
of coral localities.”! Now according to Dr. Little’s own statement, 
the symptoms and result of remittents caused by the miasm gene¬ 
rated by animal decomposition, are identical with those produced 
by vegetable decay, and we should therefore like to learn how in this 
instance, the Doctor distinguishes the coral fever, from the swamp 
fever—both animal and vegetable causes of fever being present and 
“ identical.” Your readers will ere this be satisfied that of the 
examples brought forward in support of this theory, some are 
* It is not stated whether exposed or covered, 
t A climate is condemnedand a theory supported on the fact of one lucky fever. 
