A letter to the Right Honorable, the Secretary at War, on sickness and mortality in the West Indies; being a review of Captain Tullock's Statistical report / [Sir Andrew Halliday].

  • Halliday, Andrew, Sir, 1781-1839
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to the Right Honorable, the Secretary at War, on sickness and mortality in the West Indies; being a review of Captain Tullock's Statistical report / [Sir Andrew Halliday]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    these two stations tend to confirm, rather than refute, my theory, as to the principal causes of such complaints. Fort Augusta, be it remembered, though situated on a level plain, is placed between the towns of Kingston and Port Royal, and not more than four miles from either; consequently, we may suppose the soldiers will frequently have leave to visit both places, and lingering, ‘ as they always will do, in the grog-shops, until the very last moment has expired, they start off at a run, and are obliged to keep it up that they may reach the garrison before the roll call. Now, my Lord, a long race on a level plain, is just as dangerous as a shorter one up a steep ascent, and the soldier when he arrives at Fort Augusta from Port Royal, or Kingston, is as exhausted and excited as he would be in climbing from Scarburrough to Fort King George in Tobago; and the cool sea breezes are just as likely to check perspiration as any other cool breeze. Stoney Hill, on the contrary, though situated on an eminence, has no town at its base; the men have no temptation to wander down the hill, or to hasten up it; the can¬ teens are on the flat top of the hill, and within the com¬ pass of the twenty acres which are occupied by the parade and barrack buildings ; and, although from the locality, I would look for a considerable number of cases of acute catarrh, I certainly should not expect anything like the same average number of fatal cases of inflam¬ mation of the lungs,—the great exciting cause being entirely wanting. In conclusion, I have only one word more with regard to elevation. No matter how high you pitch