8 MEXICO. 
Thus, allowing the population of Vera Cruz to be about 6,500 (which 
I consider quite liberal,) you will perceive that one-sixth of the whole 
died in the course of the year ; of this, one-sixth — about an equal propor- 
tion — perished from vomUo. The ex-cess of burials over baptisms is 563. 
Diarrhoea, dysentery and vomito are the most fatal maladies. In 1842, 
I am told that near 2000 died of vomito in Vera Cruz. This, however, 
was owino- to the number of raw troops sent there from the interior, to be 
embarked for Yucatan. It is to be regretted, that I have no data from 
which I can inform you what is the relative proportion of the deaths 
amori"- natives and foreigners, and of those who visit Vera Cruz from the 
interior. It has struck me, nevertheless, that this document will be inte- 
resting to medical readers. 
It will be observed from the following table, that the amount of wa- 
ter which has fallen in each year, very far exceeds the quantity known 
to fall annually in any part of the United States. With us it scarcely 
exceeds four feet. It is not, however, difficult to account for the differ- 
ence. Vera Cruz, situated at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, backed 
by a lofty range of mountains rising beyond the limits of perpetual con- 
gelation, must necessarily be the recipient of the immense body of water 
held in solution by the hot intertropical air, and which is constantly car- 
ried along by the trade-winds, to be condensed against the cold moun- 
tains. This will sufficiently account for the fact ; although we were far 
from being prepared to expect its nature and extent to be such as is here 
stated. 
Feet. Inch. 
In the year 1822 there fell, 13, 1.5 in the 12 months. 
1823 15, 8.9 
1824 10, 8.1 « 
1825 10, 7.1 
1826* 5,4.4 
1827 21,2.8 10 ■ 
1828 12, 2.0 12 
1829 23, 2.3 
1830 18, 0.0 « 
* Tfais year was remarkably dry ; and was moreover characterized by universally severe weatiier npon tne 
coast, and a great destruction of shipping property. 
