Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-14

months that answer for winter on this side
OF the equator (from June to November),
the thermometer ranges from 90 to 61O
Fahr., and is often so cold that warm
wooden clothing is necessary for comfort,
especially indoors, where the thick walls
retain dampness and exclude the sun, rem
derins the interiors much more chilly than
the open street. The low temperature OF
the place NAV be partially accounted for by
the close proximity 10 the snowy cordilleras
and also from the fact that the great Ant
artic current of the Pacific sells from the
southwest full on the coast, where the tenn
perature is 80 less than the waters OF the
open sea 100 miles from land.
1t is not positive cold that renders life IN
Lima unpleasant during the winter time. so
much as the logs and dampness. Sometimes
for DAYS together the sun refuses to show his
face, and regular "Scotch mist" heavy
enough to form q continuous drizzle, makes
the sidewalk slippery as ice, and so per-
meates the air that even the sheets OF ones
bed feel sticky. Though visitors are often
assured that Sit never rains ina Lima, the
most partial citizen is obliged to admit that
what he calls la guara, dense fog That
forms itself into minute drops, brings all the
discomforts without any of the benefits OF
good, healthy shower. Yet umbrellas and
overshoes are not in fashion here.
CURES OF PERUVIAN BARK.
1t is said that when the last of the Incas
heard where Pizarro was going to establish
his capital, he rejoiced in his heart, saying
that soon not one of his enemies would re-
main alive. Tradition has it that long be-
fore the arrival of any Europeans this par
ticular portion of the valley of Rimae was
set apart as place of banishment for Grim
inals-a sort Of Inca Dry Tortugas, or ST.
berif, where evildoers soon succumbed to
the deadly climate and ceased from troub-
ling. Some so years ago the celebrated
Won Teschudi wrote that 'Two-thirds of the
people of Lima are at all times suffering
from tercianas (intermittent feyer), or from
their consequences" But that was before
the Countess OF Cinchona, whose husband
was one OF the Vice Kings of Peru, had been
/ cured of her terciana by the Peruvian
bark" whose remedial virtues had been
discover by Franciscan iriar during the
early days of the conquest.
The aboriglnes made q decoction OF it to
cure their agues; it, was tried upon the
shaking soldiers with great success, and it
remained for the Vice Queen to make it
fashionable by merely consenting to De set
upon her legs again though its agency.
She introduced the bark into Spain, where
it was given her name, cinchona, and the
drug that has since been made of il, known
as auinine, has certainly accomplished
more real, substantial good right here in
Lima than have all the missionaries
Romish and Protestant, that ever came
over. Yet year by year the death lists are
alarmingly longer than those of births, and
were the city not constantly recruited from
other parts of the country it would have
been depoDulated long ago. 1t is said that
the mortality among infants here is three
times greater in proportion to population
than in London, Paris, or New Yo-k; but
that is doubtless as much due to bad drain
age and the poverty, carelessness and filth
of the lower classes as to climatic causes.
FANNIE B. WARD.