Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-02-13
agricultural.
For the Waterman and Journal.
IOWA-NO. 8.

Many Vermonters would not hesitate about
going west if they could feel confident that
they and their families would have as good /
health there as among the Green Mountains
they have seen some who have returned to the
East with impaired health, others have re-
turned to die, and others still have died sud
denly in the West, with some congestiye fever.
These things are doubtless all so, and yet
they should have no more influence in the .
making up of our Judgment than they de-
serve. Though distance lends enchantment /
TO the Wow, in regard to many things, yet it I
is not so respecting sickness. This can be |
proved by every days observation. Let war
with all its concentrated horrors rage at Sc
bastopol, and it simply furnishes us with an
interesting topic Of conversation, but even let
half credited report come that an invading
army was about to enter our neighborhood,
and it would produce wild excitement. Yet
consumption, that long-continued and dis
trossing disease, may annually take away a
large number of the young and middle-aged
--fevers and other acute diseases may fre-
quently have their victims in our town-ery-
sipelas, or some other epidemic may at times
more than decimate our neighbors-and final
ly, nearly half of population may be afilict-
ed with some chronic illness that renders
them in part unfit for the ordinary business of
life, and still we live on, congratulating our
selves that we live in a very healthy country,
and not where ague and bilious fever prevail
Having practiced medicine thirteen years in
Vermont, and having spent short time in the
West, last year, and made his home there for
the last three months, the writer would say,
that in his opinion, there are parts of the wes-
tern country far more unhealthy than others,
as the Valleys Of the Wabash and Illinois
rivers-that high rolling prairie with dry
surface and supply Of good running water.
is healthy, while flat land and standing water
with thick scum upon its surfaces in many
parts of Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin,
where there is much decomposing vegetable
matter, is productive of scknoss--that on the
whole, this town and surrounding country are
healthy, and have less sickness in proportion
TO population than any Vermont town-and
finally that the western bilious diseases are
far more under the control of medicine than
the diseases Of New England. where the ex-
cess of oxygen Of the atmosphere ovorstimu-
lates the lungs and the system generally, and
that there is consequently smaller proper
ton Of fatal cases
When Central Iowa is settled up, her land
all cultivated and her inhabitants possess all
the conyeniences of life as warm houses, con
venicnt out-buildings, easy means of trans
portation and all those arrangements that rem
der exposure less necessary, she can challenge
the whole world TO point out a more healthy
country, or more salubrious climate.
Ono item further, and we will lay aside the
pen, at least for the present An eastern man
having resolved to migrate to the West, may
be glad TO avail himself of the following in
formation, which cost the writer at least 5000.
The Spring is the proper season to come here.
though late in the Fall is the best time TO
move to a malarious country. If the settler
gets here in May he has the summer before
him TO put up his cabin, do some breaking.
and raise some corn, pumpkins, &c. In this
way he will also supply himself by winter,
with pork, beef, &c, furnishing his family
with many Of the necessaries of life without
dram upon his purse. He should not come
around the lakes by boat either late in the
Fall or early in the SPRING and will generally
md 1t to his interest 20 ticket 10 CHICAGO nv
cars, which he can reach in three DAYS and
nights, and from there TO Iowa city in eleven
hours. From that point, if he wishes TO 90
out into the country, he would do well 10
have some friend from his place Of destination
waiting with a team at the city 70 take him
along In this way he would avoid DELAYS
and exhorbitant fares. Now, as to his goods
let him pack and bring almost all the goods
and groceries he may have in the house-be
would do better to bring light bodstcads even.
than to sell at a sacrifice and buy here at wes-
tern prices, DO not sell, but bring at least
one bureau, and II need not be the bost--lieht
tubs, wash tubs, nails, tin ware, -erockery.
stone ware. crooks, brass kettles, De. will ali
pay freight, if you think you will need them
here Chairs are not conveniently boxed. but
1t would pay well to bring new chairs that are