DR. LITTLE** CORAL THEORY. 
698 
“ It is not (writes Dr Little) during the rainy season that marsh 
miasm is in its greatest activity, but when the rains have ceased 
and the ground from evaporation becomes dryish. The contrary 
xs the case with coral miasm, which is most active during the wet 
season.” 
In opposition to this new theory—or old theory revived—of the 
activity of miasms, I must refer Dr Little to Father Guiseppe’s 
paper in the 2nd volume of the Asiatic Researches, and to thous¬ 
ands of living witnesses, for the fact, that it is death to remain 
in the vast forest tract at the foot of the Himalayas, after the 
commencement of the rainy season, as the frightful and fatal jungle 
fever immediately makes its appearance; and if this be not suf¬ 
ficient to convince, I must quote the following passage from 
Copeland’s Medical Dictionary vol. II p. 351—which is quite 
decisive on the question: 
“The miasm or mephitic vapours exhaled from the sources 
already enumerated (i. e. vegetable and animal decomposition &c.) 
are evidently suspended and rendered active by the humidity of 
the atmosphere in the situations in which they are disengaged; 
for it has been repeatedly shown that these miasms are active in 
proportion to the grade of atmospheric humidity and to the 
circumstances which augment that humidity” 
Surely Dr Little must allow after this, that the activity of 
miasm generated by vegetable, as well as animal decomposition, 
is alike increased by humidity, and as he cannot maintain that the 
atmosphere during the dry season, is more humid than during the 
wet season, he must confess, that in his eagerness to support a 
theory, he has overleaped facts, and overlooked the highest 
authority ! * 
That there are numerous reefs around Labuan is granted, 
and our present enquiry is as to the nature of these reefs, and the 
consequences to the health of the settlement which Dr Little 
asserts result from them. 
I shall state briefly my personal observations after considerable 
experience, and refer to the authority of Sir Edward Belcher’s 
chart, and the more finished chart of Captain Gordon, whereon 
every yard of sounding is laid down, and every exposed reef 
shaded according to its peculiar character. It must be premised 
however, that the large island called “Burong” in Sir Edward 
Belcher’s chart, is really the island of Kuraman, and that the small 
islet named Ampac is the true Burong. Kuraman I have never 
visited, but there are rocks visible on approaching from the 
westward. The two islands of Rusakan are surrounded by reefs 
* Will Dr Little inform your readers of the distinction between miasm gene¬ 
rated from animal decomposition, and miasm arising from vegetable decomposition, 
or as he calls it marsh miasm and coral miasm. The fever from either is of the 
same character, the symptoms “identical”—how then are we to distinguish the 
vapours ? 
Q 17 
