Introductory address, winter session, 1860-61 / by Dr. Corrigan.

  • Corrigan, Dominic John, 1802-1880.
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Introductory address, winter session, 1860-61 / by Dr. Corrigan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    11/20 page 11
    necessary to cast a glance over the map of Europe to understand why the mistral, the cold piercing wind of the north, is so much dreaded in these places, and is so injurious, for it reaches them not only comparatively cold from the higher latitudes, but also dry and pierc- ing, as it has not passed over any great surface of sea to give it due moisture. The sudden incursion of a cold dry wind may also cause a sudden and temporary liberation of chilly, foggy, free moisture from the air of the locality, just as the sudden rush of cold air into a Russian ball-room converts the breath of the inmates into mist and snow ; nor will any but a large extent of sea surface suffice to give the air its required moist- ure, and hence it is that the whole western coast of Italy, at other seasons so delicious in climate, becomes unpleasant, harsh, and injurious in spring, from its back bone of high mountain sending down cold, dry air in spring to take the place of the moist and more genial atmosphere. If we had in our country a tem- perature only somewhat higher than it is, it would on its western coasts present the perfection of the climate we desire, such as is obtained in Madeira, a locality so circumstanced that the winds that generally reach it are not only warmed but supplied with the due porportion of moisture in perfect solution. The south-western coast of France is free from the mistral, for winds reaching the Bay of Biscay from the north-west blow over a vast expanse of sea surface, and are thus softened by the quantity of moisture the air takes up as it warms.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3