Inaugural dissertation on the influence of climate on the health and mortality of the inhabitants of the different regions of the globe : submitted to the Medical Faculty of the University of Edinburgh, in conformity with the rules for graduation, by authority of the Very Reverend Principal Baird, and with the sanction of the Senatus Academicus / by Arthur Saunders Thomson, candidate for the degree of Doctor in Medicine.

Arthur Saunders Thomson

Date:: 1837

Credit: Inaugural dissertation on the influence of climate on the health and mortality of the inhabitants of the different regions of the globe : submitted to the Medical Faculty of the University of Edinburgh, in conformity with the rules for graduation, by authority of the Very Reverend Principal Baird, and with the sanction of the Senatus Academicus / by Arthur Saunders Thomson, candidate for the degree of Doctor in Medicine. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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Table XLIV.—Showing the mean annual Strength and annual ratio of Mortality per 1000 which occurred among British Troops serving in the under-mentioned countries, together with the period of observation, and the increase of Morta- lity over that of Great Britain. Annua] Increase of ratio of mortality per Period of observa- Mean mortali- 1000 beyond Stations. tion. annual ty per that of Great Years. From To strength. 1000. Britain. TEMPERATE. Great Britain, 10 1819 1828 46,460 15 Canada, 7 1 6 1822 2,975 11 Malta, 8 1824 1831 2,226 15 Gibraltar, 7 1816 1822 3,267 20 5 TROPICAL. Madras, 4 1827 1830 11,820 48 33 Bengal, 7 1826 1832 8,700 57 42 Windward and } Leeward Islands, J 19 1810 1828 5,768 113 98 Jamaica, 19 1810 1828 2,528 155 140 From this table we at once observe the difference of the mortality which occurs among British troops employed in temperate and tropical climates. In tropical countries the ratio of mortality is in every instance higher, than happens in their native climate. Thus in India it is fom- times, in the Windward and Leeward Island command it is nine times, and in Jamaica ten times greater than what occurs in Great Britain By the last column of the above table we learn, that of 1000 na- tives of Great Britain residing in Madras, there are 33 more deaths than would have occurred had the same nmnber of men been living in Great Britain, so that the insalubrity of the cli- mate of Madras may be stated at 33. Again, of 1000 natives of the united kingdom residing in Jamaica, there are 140 more deaths than would have occurred had the same number of men been stationed in Great Britain; the insalubrity of the climate of Jamaica is therefore 140. The following sketch will render more obvious the increased morta-

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