124 Remarks on the Climate of North America, by Col. Tatham. [March 1, 
_3f the more elevated north-weft wind blows, 
it muft either pafs over in too high an al- 
titude to difpel the noxious vapours, or 
become expended in the heated atmofphere 
at fo great a diftance from the fummit of 
frigidity, which is deferibed in my former 
eflay. : 
I apprehend the powerful influence of 
the fun, when reflected vehemently by the 
fandy foil, which compoles the greater pro- 
portion of thefe territories, to be an agent 
which has no fmall fhare in the governance 
of the climate. Thofe whofe heated blood 
has been often expofed (like mine) to jour- 
neys through its mid day fplendour, will 
be able to teftify what is the probable 
effect by the experience of their own fen- 
dations. : 
When to this effect on the atmofphere 
we add-the peltilential influence of noxious 
vapours, which continually arife from thofe 
fwampy parts which are highly loaded with 
ftagnant impurities : I apprehend we may 
find other caufes, than a mere folftitial 
predominance, unto which we may venture 
to affign the imputation of thefe unwhole- 
fome climates ; and when we take into the 
eftimate the noxious efluvia which muft 
arife from poifonous weeds and trees, which 
doubtlefs exift abundantly amidft fuch in- 
numerable variety in thefe extenfive forefts, 
and the quantity of vegetable matter which 
undergors the annua! fermentations of au- 
tumn; we fhall be leis Turprifed at the 
prevalency of the ague, and of thofe pe- 
riodical fevers which make their annual 
appearance with the fall of the leaf, and 
vanifh at the prefence of froft. 
Tt is however a great confolation to the 
inhabitants of the Southern States, that the 
climate is found to improve with the pro- 
grefs of cultivation, and that a capacity 
for a perfect drainage by an eafy fyftem 
gives an affurance that a purification of 
the atmofphere will keep pace with the 
axe and plough. 
In fuch a country as ‘this ; and where 
the middie and upper region of what I 
have termed the Jevel country of the South- 
ern States, are bleffed with a mild degree of 
temperature, and abundant ftreams of pure 
water in its natural condition 3; what may 
not be expeéted.when the lower lands be- 
come drained, and the ftagnant ponds are 
converted into yerdant meadows ?— 
Under all thefe flattering profpetts is it 
not {till to be lamented, that man fl® uld 
remain fubject to the: dominion of inat- 
tention, and evil habits; or that relative 
caufes fhould ftill exift to affe&t his health, 
and that thefe fhould be miftakenly afcribed 
to the banefulnefs of the climate. ‘There 
is nothing more ftriking to reflection, than 
an inattentive inordinate ufe of impure 
water; yet, nothing is more generally 
ufed to allay the thirft of the common 
labourers*; and this often in a very 
heated condition of the body. This ele- 
ment may, however, be eafily cleanfed and 
rendered falubrious, if people wil] but at- 
tend to it. The Chinefe + put a fmall 
piece of alum in the hollow tube of a 
cane, which is perforated with feveral 
holes, with this inftrument the muddy 
water is ftirred a few minutes; and the 
earthy particles being fpeedily precipitated, 
leave the water above them pure and clear. 
A more effeétual method has lately been 
invented by Mr. Peacock at Guildhall, 
for purifying water by: filtration per af- 
cenfum; the medium made ule of is “ap- 
proximate to that by which nature ope- 
rates; and the capacity of a machine of 
twenty guineas price is certified by a 
committee of captains, to whom Admiral 
Sir Peter Parker has lately referred the 
fubje€t, to have proved capable, upon ex- 
periment, of clarifying at the rate of 
feven hundred gallons of turbid water in 
twenty-four hours. It 1s to be wifhed, that 
fuch an invention as this may meet with 
general notice ; and, particularly, in fuch 
climates.as the one we are defcribing. 
This inconvenience, however, to which 
the poorer people are often necefiarily fub- 
jected, is no palliative for the oppofite 
error, which is too frequently committed 
by thofe who can better afford a mixture 
ot ardent fpirits; and who, too often, 
fuffer the bewitching habit to precipitate 
them into bilious complaints, which are 
not lefs fatal than thofe which proceed 
from the laft-mentioned impurities; yet 
each of them falfly and equally afcribed 
to the malignancy of the climate. 
When it is confidered that the greater 
part of the Southern States are covered 
with woods, and that in many inftances 
the tall grafs and abundant foliage of the 

* Drinking cold water imprudently, is 
often fatal in America: even thofe who are 
Jeafoned to the country, are frequently by this 
means carried off with a cholera morbus; and 
the poorer clafs of emigrants from Ireland 
and other parts of Europe are itill greater 
fufierers by it. In Philadelphia, where the 
wells are deep and cold, and the pumps fta- 
tionary along the freets, thefe inftances are 
frequent. In 1794, I faw feveral die in the 
ftreets by the pumps; and IJ have been told, 
that not lefs than fifty fell there in one hot 
day by this imprudence. 
+ Staunton’s Chinefe Embafiy, Vol. ii. 
P: 68, 
; buthes 
