Australia for the consumptive invalid : the voyage, climates and prospects for residence / by Isaac Baker Brown, Jr.

  • Lennox Browne
Date:
1865
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Australia for the consumptive invalid : the voyage, climates and prospects for residence / by Isaac Baker Brown, Jr. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    73/154 (page 63)
    near for those ■who wish to get an aiDpetite by a stiff walk and a breath of mountain air. The mountain has numerous springs which give a constant supply of water to tiie town, and an ice-store was built many years ago at the mountain-summit—no small boon to the good people of Hobart Town in the summer months. Launceston is at the north of the island, and is situ- ated on the Tamar; and, being nearest to the mainland, has a considerable trade. The site, however, is unfor- tunately unhealthy, being for the most built on low ground, near to the river and an extensive swamp. The population is from eight to ten thousand. There are no railways in Tasmania, but a capital road from Launceston to Hobart Town, between which towns there is a capital road and regular communication by stage-coach. The distance is 120 miles. There are other small and thriving towns in Tas- mania, and communication is frequent with the other colonies. One generally goes to Launceston fi-om Mel- bourne, to Hobart Town from Adelaide or Sydney. Before ending this chapter on Tasmania, it will be well to give a few statistics, for which I am indebted to Dr. Bird's * book, already quoted. He says, the mortality of Hobart Town is 23 per 1000, on a mean of five years; this rate corresponds with town and country mortality combined in England, and is considerably lower than any town mortality * Op. cit., p. 113.