Volume 1

Researches into the causes, nature, and treatment of the more prevalent diseases of India, and of warm climates generally. Illustrated with cases, post mortem examinations, and numerous coloured engravings of morbid structures / by James Annesley.

  • Annesley, James, Sir, 1780-1847.
Date:
1828
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Researches into the causes, nature, and treatment of the more prevalent diseases of India, and of warm climates generally. Illustrated with cases, post mortem examinations, and numerous coloured engravings of morbid structures / by James Annesley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    804/832 (page 22)
    Observations on the Mysore and Canara Districts. [See pp. 143 and 145.] The following letters, addressed by the late learned and scientific Colonel Lambton to Dr. Boswell, late member of the Medical Board of Madras, will further illustrate what we have advanced respecting the Mysore country and Canara. The medical profession and European community in India are under great obligations to Dr. Boswrell for his strenuous and scientific exertions to ascertain the causes and nature of the diseases of the Indian Peninsula, and to remove those causes, as far as their removal was practicable. “ Camp, 28th March, 1807- “ I find I have never kept the state of the thermometer while at Seringapatam, but have sent you the extremes and mean temperature while at three different stations where I had occasion to observe. “ I believe it will be of little use to you, as the changes which take place are very trifling, and still less from the barometer, except from the change of height above the sea. You may probably be able to draw more inferences when you know the exact situation of the country. Seringapatam lies in a very low valley, aiid that valley runs north nearly as far as Chittledroog, and north-east past Serah and Paughur, into the Ceded Districts. The ridges which form it are the Table Land, which .extends from Nundidroog till it is terminated by the mountains near the Cavery. Bangalore, or rather three miles east from Bangalore, is the highest part, and is about 3,030 feet above the level of the sea. After passing the range of mountains in which Kopauldroog, Savendroog, Shevagunga, &c. are situated, the country immediately falls as far as the Madoor river, which, as far as I recollect, is about the lowest part of the valley. After getting to the westward of Seringapatam and Chene- roypatam, the country then begins to rise, till we reach the Ghauts which bound this great valley on the west. These mountains are peculiarly situated, and may affect the climate to the eastward: most of them are from 4 to 6000 feet above the sea, and are very abrupt to the westward, under which are situated the low countries of Canara and Malabar. These countries are not flat, like the Carnatic, but are full of rivers, ravines, and gullies, all which are cultivated and abound with trees of various kinds, and in many are ancient forests. After the conclusion of the western monsoon, the weather on the Malabar coast is delightful and serene, and the atmosphere perfectly clear, till about the middle of January, when the weather becomes hot. The exhalation from the ravines is the consequence; and that increases so fast, that about the middle of February the whole of the low country is covered with a thick vapour, which, from being checked in its ascent by the cold region at the summit of those mountains, continues to collect till the south-west winds set in, and that immense reservoir is then condensed, and passes over the country in those heavy rains which mark the western monsoon. Previous, however, to the setting in of the rains, the evaporation above the Ghauts is very considerable, and the whole of that valley which I have described is covered writh