The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-02-21
CLIMATE AND DISEASES OF CALIFORNIA.

and esteemed by those who know him. He has had
professional experience of more than twenty years.
in full practice, in the State of Maine. The letter
is published in the N. Y. Tribune
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 20, ls49.
DEAR DocToR KIRBY: Since | had the pleas
ure of seeing you, have seen the Elephant as the
phrase goes; have travelled over good portion Of the
Ell Dorado-expored its mountains, its valleys, its
streams and its diggings, both wet and dry. have
been familiar with grizzly Bears, and grim Death
have commended both in hospital and private practice,
with all the forms of disease which have been SO ia
tai TO the army of god-seekers, and think / know
California well enough to give you a reliable descrip-
ton of its mines, climate and diseases.
AS to the country ITSELF is as vet the least de-
srabe place of residence the globe except, per-
haps, the Desert of Sahara. 1t never rains when
rain is desirable, could do any good; and In Sum-
mer, the heat and dust intoerable, while in
Winter, when the mildness of the weather would
be delightful the constant rains render the whole
country impossible by converting the soil into an
| ocean of mud.
| Many blame the climate and consider the water
bad; but must say consider the climate very
good one, and the waters of the Sacramento the pur
est and sweetest ever drank The diseases endem-
ic here are similar to those of our Western States;
such Fever and Ague, bilious renlittens, Diarr-
heas and dysenteries in the hottest part of Summer
and Autunns but all of milder character than the
same diseases in western States. But since the
advent Of the gOld-hunters, disease, far as can
| learn, heretofore unknown here has made its ap-
pearance, knowledge and just appreciation of the
nature OF which Is necessary TO the proper under
standing of the fatal character other diseases have
assfned here the past season. This disease called
| by the miners Land Scurvy, and when fully deve-
oped is terrible affair, and although resembling in
It's appearance the Sea Scurvy, salt disease is es
senally different both as TO its cause and means of
cure.
In order to fully explain my views of this disease
short physiological dissertation will be necessary
| Modern chemistry teaches us that animals do not
create for themselves any matters, but only as
simulate and appropriate to their own growth and nu-
triton material created and prepared for their use by
the vegetable kingdom. Man avals himself of these
nutrltlve matters either primarily in the shape of
grains, fruits, roots, &c. or secondary by feeding
| upon other animals who have already appropriated
to themselves the same kind of substances Now,
all food divided into two classes called respective
Fly respiratory food that which is consumed by the
process OF breathing and production of animal heat;
Be- and nutrve food that which goes TO build up the
Q system, and supply the waste. The first class
slsts OF starch gum vegetable and animal oils
and the different preparations of alcohol The other
class is composed of brine the lean part of meat
the coaguum of blood, eggs, cheese the coagula-
BILE part OF milk, the gluten or tough part of wheat,
beans and other vegetables. Now every man must
be supplied with due proportion of these two cas-
Is SEES, which proportion varies according to the tenn
10 perature and other conditions in which man is
, placed. For instance, the lumbermen of Maine and
Canada live for six months at time during the win.
ter season, almost exclusively upon fat pork, aoul
he and moasses. and in the Spring come out perfec
arg specimens OF health and vgor while in Summer up
on the same diet in the woods, they are apt soon Il
la break down and come out looking scky and ENACT
. ated.
att A Lapander of Esquimaux will eat and even re
IS quire quantity of fat that would destroy an nhabi
. tant of Tropical or Temperate climates, while tn
fruits and vegetables of warmer regions would not b.
RES sufficient to support life in high ATTITUDES.
=" Now in order to possess health we must attend Il
and conform to the laws of our organization. Thu
Al the miners and California emigrants have not done
Upon their overland journeys and at the mines the,
10 have almost entirely lived upon fried bacon or "a
pork and -four made into batter-cakes, and fried il
la the fat, which completely saturates it. and this
- washed down with large quantities of strong coffee
=. and large quantities of brandy whisky taken in tn
intervals of the meals This has been the diet o
thousands for months, under scorching sun whel
the temperature was over a hundred in the shade
and at the same time subjected to most intense la
bor
Now from what we have learned of the require
ments OF the system, what will result? Why W.
ton from want Of supply Of fbrne in the shape o
lean meat, and Of complete exhaustion from ove
exertlon stimulated by the love Of gold, strong cof
fee and alcohol and the whole economy poisoned b,
being saturated with fat which was not required fol
n the production Of animal heat
The consequence of this is, that after time the
strong man generally the strongest the hearties
leeder and best worker in the company suddenl,
fnds himself destitute of strength his limbs fail he
has palpltatlons of the heart on the slightest move
ment, his limbs contract and are troubled witt
cramps; his face, lips and tongue are bloodess. hi.
gums swell and bleed, black spots show themselve.
IN various parts OF the body, sometimes covering hal
# the surface, and if no ameioraon takes place the
patient suddenly expires from some slight effort al
motion. This Is picture of severe case; bu
modlhcations OF these symRoms manifest themselve.
IN large proportion OF the people who have come
IN over the Fiains or have spent much time at the
mines, and if they happen to contract or get de.
velopment Of any of the endemic diseases of the
country, such as ague, darrhea or dysentery. from
this broken state Of the system, no vital reaction,
take place, and physicians are astonshed at the dc
ficulty of getting patient up when once down: and
dose of calomel or blue pill have seen many
times induce modification Of the face and dose 81
castor oil taken for constipation produces diarrbea
n very difficult to cure.
HI Now in regard to the mines Of this country am
satisfied that god-dggng has as vet not commenced
that the surface washlngs are simply gathering The
chips which old Time has been for aces hewing from
the main blocks which still lie entomed in the bosom
Of the mountains, in the immediate neiohborbood q,
the ravines and river bars, Where the Shawnee and
chips are deposited, and the "aura sacra famss, !.
bound still to draw thousands hither from ali nar,s 81
| the world. y
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