GEOGRAPHY OF DEVONSHIRE AND CONSUMPTION. 95 
— m. 2-08, f. 1-75. Similarly Table VIII., which takes in the 
Southmolton district, a region adjoining to, and like that of 
Barnstaple, having the Devonian and Carboniferous formations, 
shows the smaller death-rate on the Devonian — f. 0*82, m. 1*09; 
mean for ten years, m. and f. 0*95. 
The following parishes on the North Devon Devonian, with the 
mean populations annexed, had no deaths from Consumption during 
the ten years 1861-70 : Brendon, 211 ; Parracombe, 373; Bratton 
Fleming, 632 ; Stoke Bivers, 225 ; East Down, 412 ; Countesbury, 
192; Martinhoe, 214; Trentishoe, 114. The following Devonian 
North Devon parishes, with the mean populations annexed, had 
each one death in the ten years 1861-70 : Barnstaple district — 
Challacombe, 282 ; Kentisbury, 404 ; Arlington, 229 ; Bittadon, 
60; Lynton, 1,106; Combmartin, 1,451. Southmolton district — 
Exmoor, 331; West Anstey, 300; Twitchen, 238; East Anstey, 
227. 
The higher death-rate of the Carboniferous regions of Barnstaple 
and Southmolton agrees with the high death-rate of Holsworthy 
district, which is wholly Carboniferous. Holsworthy district is 
well known as a clayey, damp, "cold" soil. The labourers are 
much employed in draining operations ; but it is the women who 
die in excess of Phthisis. That Phthisis should be high in Hols- 
worthy district is presumable from Dr. Buchanan's conclusions, 
" that a wetness of soil is a cause of Consumption to those living 
on it." But it is the women who die in excess (m. 1-77; f. 2*35). 
Either, then, the out-of-door life or other causes, say stimulants or 
varied occupation, preserve the men, or the huts kill the women. 
Dr. L. Ash, of Holsworthy, considers the bad condition of the 
cottagers' huts to be a potential cause of Consumption in the women. 
In the Southmolton district all death-rates which stand two per 
cent, (eight in number) are in Carboniferous parishes ; no Devonian 
parish is as high. Does this difference in the death-rate of Car- 
boniferous and Devonian resolve itself into a question of relative 
moisture of soil ? The rainfall in the Southmolton district, of Rose 
Ash is 40-55 ; "Witheridge, 35*36; Meshaw, 41-82. In the Barn- 
staple district, Bratton Eleming is 53*22; Martinhoe, 60-82; 
Ilfracombe, 37*51; Barnstaple, 39*47; Horwood, 34*19. Like to 
Dartmoor, the heathy parts of North Devon have a high rainfall. 
Martinhoe and Bratton Eleming, with the highest recorded rainfall, 
had no deaths of Phthisis in ten years. 
