Taking another branch of the same subject, the causes of zymotic
diseases being traced to controllable sources, he said: Drs. Klebs and
Crudelli allege that malarial fever arises from germs present in the
soil and which float over the air of marshes; and that by treating with
water the soil of a fever-haunted marsh of the Campagna the germs of
this organism could be washed out; and that the water containing the
organisms thus obtained, introduced into the circulation of a dog,
produced ague more or less rapidly, and more or less violent, according
to the numbers in which the organisms were present in the water.
This theory, no doubt, agrees with certain well-known facts. In a
tropical climate, if soil which has been long undisturbed, or the soil
of marshy ground, be turned up, intermittent fever is almost certain to
ensue. In illustration of this, I recollect that at Hong Kong the troops
were unhealthy, and a beautiful position on a peninsula exposed to the
most favorable sea-breezes was selected for a new encampment. The troops
were encamped upon this spot for some time to test its healthiness,
which was found to be all that could be desired. It was then resolved to
build barracks.
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