Southern Medical and Surgical Journal - Georgia Regents University

1858.] Epidemic Diseases of the State of Georgia. 113March. The three succeeding months are generally delightfulin temperature. The genial warmth of the vernal sun quicklyevaporates the excess of moisture—the dreariness of winter isdispelled, and its fathomless abyss of cohesive mud forgotten inthe contemplation of the gorgeous scene displayed with magicalcelerity by the luxuriant vegetation." The summers are by no means so depressing as upon theseaboard, or in the middle portion of the State. The thermom*eter occasionally, in the hottest part of the day, rises as high as90° or 92° of Fahrenheit, but the nights are cool and refreshing,"The same geological formation which favors the accumulationof water near the surface of the earth in winter explainsalso the remarkable absence of it during the months of August,September, and October, when in dry seasons, the ground isparched and cracked in many places, the atmosphere filled withdust, vegetation languishing, and where the stratum of earth isthin, totally destroyed ; the temporary springs, branches, andlakes all dried up, many of the wells exhausted, and the waterin the permanent streams, reduced to its minimum, creeps sluggishlythrough the accumulated piles of drift-wood, which partiallyblock up the channels through which it flows." The highest heat of summer is of short duration, and thetemperature of the entire autumn is delightful," The two principal streams in this section of Georgia are theOostenaula and the Etowah, which, meeting at Eome, in FloydCounty, form the Coosa, a stream navigable for steamboatsmany miles into the State of Alabama." These rivers drain nearly the whole of the fifth congressionaldistrict, and are of great size, but not different in their circumstancesfrom their smaller tributaries, though much of thealluvial land upon their banks, subject to inundation, is stillcovered with primeval forest"Throughout all the limestone region numerous sinks anddepressions are observable on the earth's surface. Many containwater during the winter, but become dry on the approachof warm weather. Others are permanently filled with clear purewater. Subterranean caves are also numerous, especially inthe counties of Cass, Waker, and Dade."The great alternations of moisture and temperature, so commonto our winters, are probably due to the character of theprevailing winds, which are exceedingly variable, not unfrequentlyshifting their position to all the points of the compassina period of less than twenty-four hours, each change in directionbeing attended with a corresponding change of temperature.The southeast winds, blowing from the Atlantic coastduring the greater part of fall and winter, are attended withfrequent rains, cold and penetrating in their effects upon the'