MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE AND ART. 
85 
This, daring some periodic gales, blow? in such dense | changing into those eddying currents often seen in 
columns that it is barely possible to distinguish an 
object in close proximity. These storms are termed 
“ brickSeld«rs,*' no doubt from the dust being of a 
reddish brown colour, arising from the presence of 
red oxide of iron. In the town of Sydney and its 
immediate neighbourhood the sandstone rocks cone 
more to the surface, in fact, that part of the old 
town called “ Church TLill’’ is built on an elevated 
ridge, called the “ Rocks. 1 ’ In and around Sydney, 
where these rocks predominate, there is, especially 
in summer, not a vestige of vegetation, except in 
some of the declivities, and in the Government Do¬ 
main, east of the town, where there are some species 
of the eucalyptus or gum tree. When these trees, 
especially the larger size, (denuded of the bark, 
with the peculiar conformation of the peteole, re¬ 
quiring a considerable breeze to move the leaves ) 
are viewed'ln connection with the dry and barren 
nature of the soil, they give that dull, dreary, and 
sadly monotonous appearance to the country, which 
never fails to strike the now arrival. The barracks 
and hospital, situated about two m-les to the east 
and south of the town of Svdney, are built on a 
somewhat elevated plateau of fnnastone, surrounded 
by a high wall enclosing about 30 acres of ground 
and overlooked on the west by one of those drifted 
sandhills already described, running from north-west 
to south-east, without a particle of vegetation cover¬ 
ing it. The elevated situation of the barracks, al¬ 
though sornewh .t exposed, is exceedingly salubrious. 
In summer the. thermometer generally indicates a 
lower temperature of 2 c or 3 ° Fain, when compared 
with similar observations taken in places less ex¬ 
posed to tho sea breeze. 
The climate of New South Wales, from tho nature 
of the country and other causes, is subject to rapid 
meteorological changes iti all seasons of the year. 
The results of tho best, observations that have been 
made at Sydney will bo inserted in another part; 
unfortunately, however, they extend over only a 
period of two years. So far as they go we believe 
they are very correct, and tolerably complete; but 
as they stand they give hut a very inadequate idea 
of this climate. The results of observations;taken 
at any two given periods of the day, are by no means 
a certain test of the weather in this country, where 
very often in the intervals the winds, tho barometric 
pressure, the temperature of the air, and the hu¬ 
midity of the atmosphere, are, in a word, reeling in 
endless confusion. 
The winds are so variable and capricious in their 
direction, that to establish any fixed law regarding 
them, even by long and careful ooservations, except 
taken at a great height, is almost beyond the pale 
of hope. In summer, as a general rule, a light 
breeze from the north e*st sets in after sunrise, and 
after sunset a land breeze springs up. The prevail¬ 
ing winds are northerly, and in winter they are south 
anil westerly. In the summer months the winds 
from an easterly direction, when saturated with 
moisture, are very oppressive and uncomfortable, 
giving rise to what the inhabitants tonn a “ steamy 
heat.” They are sometimes accompanied with more 
or loss rain, t ut are rather unfrequent in their oc¬ 
currence. Those coming from the north-west, pass¬ 
ing over a dry and arid country, aro not quite so 
oppressive as they are remarkable for their intense 
heat and dryness. They are termed “ hot winds,” 
and the highest temperature ever indicated by tho 
thermometer has been during tlicir continuance. 
They occur generally three or lour times during the 
summer months, and last from two to three days, 
when they arc suddenly succeeded by a gale from 
the south, accompanied by a heavy fall of rain. On 
the accession of this gale the temperature of the air 
has been known to f ill 30° or 40° Fah. in a very 
few minutes. This storm is called a “southerly 
buster,” and differs from the 41 brickfielder.” in 
being accompanied by a fall of rain, and in never 
the latter. 
Tho barometric pressure does not differ materially 
from that of England, except in its variability, and 
with some appa entlv anomalous features in the ill 
understood relation between the pressure and the 
state of the weather* 
The entire range of the thermometer is from 30° 
to 102 Q Fah., but, like the barometric pressure, it 
4s subject to great variation. To endeavour to as¬ 
certain the quantity of moisture in the atmosphere 
in any given day would very often bo a fruitless 
labour, on account of the numerous and rapid 
changes that are incessa a lily taking place. At one 
time the atmosphere may be so intensely dry, from 
the nature of the soil and the direction of the wind, 
that a trace of moisture can barely be detected with 
tho moa . delicate instruments, when suddenly the 
direction of the wind changes, and a sea breeze 
comes in loaded with moisture. 
In regard to the fall of rain in any given (short) 
period, there appears to be little or no uniformity. The 
months that are dry in one year may be wet in another, 
and, trice versa, many parts of the country are subject 
to inundations; and no doubt there is a fixed cycle in the 
seasons, but as to its nature we arc at present entirely in 
the dark. As regards the quantity of rain that falls in 
short periods there is not even the semblance or regu¬ 
larity ; for we have seen as much rain fall in a very few 
hours as had fallen for half the year. Taking the mean 
of a series of years, the average fall would be 47 inches. 
Thunder storms are not unfrequent in summer; the peals 
arc loud, and the lightning vivid ; but we are not aware 
of auy researches having been made in the more recondite 
branches of meleoroU'gieal ssience. That this infant 
science should have remained in a more elementary state 
in this country than elsewhere is not to be wondered at, 
seeing that no Government meteorologist has, if ever, for 
any length of time been employed ; and the volunteer, 
even if he hail time at his disposal, has naturally been de¬ 
terred at the outset from taking up the subject with zeal, 
not more from the want of proper instruments than from 
the bewildering nature of the climate. True, from time 
to time the results of many accurate observations made by 
scientific men have been recorded ; but the periods over 
which they extended being very short, and the observa¬ 
tions taken in different localities, it was found diflicult in 
many cases to make them correspond. 
Having detailed most of the essential meteorological 
phenomena characteristic of the region, I now proceed to 
consider the climate in relation both to health and disease. 
On reviewing the train of pathological phenomena 
manifested, year afrer year, among Her Majesty’s troops, 
serving in New South Wales, it must be apparent to every 
one that the multiplicity of facts, in connection with dis¬ 
eased action, which have been faithfully recorded for a 
series of years, might, if property dealt with, be converted 
into an instrument for determining, with not a little pre¬ 
cision, the principal causes that appear to originate, and 
the various agencies that most influence the abormal and 
eminently complex process of dis arse. 
From the intimate connection that necessarily exists 
between physiology and pathology, it is elcar, that how¬ 
ever successfully men may treat diseases as they severally 
occur, they will never be able to grapple with disease 
itself till they get more general ideas of these kindred 
branches of medical scienee. 
For many reasons, I shall not be surprised if some of 
the conclusions arrived at in the course of this enquiry 
arouse the spirit of controversy among some even of the 
initiated. But that what follows may, as much as possible, 
be apart from medical polemics in forming my opinions, 
I propose to make use only of such physiological and 
pathological facts as have come before me from actual ob¬ 
servation, together with the military records of disease. 
The assumption of principles and the advancement of ab¬ 
stract theories will therefore be avoided, as having no prac¬ 
tical bearing on the subject, viz , the iufluence of an Aus¬ 
tralian climate on the constitution of the Western Euro¬ 
pean. 
