(General knowledge of the world entire.)

CHOROGRAPHY,

(Acquaintance with regions-may be sub-divided.)

1. GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION.-Longitude-Latitude-Altitude.

2. GEOGRAPHICAL PECULIARITIES-Area of Lakes, Rivers, Prairies: wooded and cleared lands, cultivated lands, and general features of the land surface.

3. ORGANICS-Characteristic habits of the people-Botanical characteristics -Zoological characteristics-Quality of water and food.

4. METEOROGRAPHY.-Barometrical and Thermometrical yearly mean-

“ ” “ ” extremes-

“ ” “ diurnal mean-

” “ ” “ extremes-

Atmospherical curves, diurnal and annual-Currents, diurnal and annual -Relative Isothermy-Variations of Magnetic needle, diurnal and annual-Declination of Magnetic needle, diurnal and annual-Electrical displays, thunder storms &c.-Hyetal and Cloud register.

Consonant with this should also be preserved a relation of all events seeming to result in producing a deviation from health, and also the peculiarities of such deviation.

The extra-terrene causative sources might perhaps be appreciated by some, such tables as the following:-

I. SUN.-In Aphelion-in Perihelion-in Conjunction-lunar-Spots on disc-Angle of rays, &c, &c.

II. MOON.-In all its different relative positions, solar conjunctions, &c., &c.

III. Planets and other Celestial Bodies.

It hardly need be added that this table is sketched in haste and with little care, but for the reason that it is intended only as suggestive of something more complete. It is hoped, however, that this is sufficient to convey the idea.

It would seem that the more proper mode of attaining such results, is to follow, with but incidental deviations, the plan pursued by our predecessors and colaborers in other branches of science. Let us institute a careful, minute Geopathometrical (if we may be permitted to construct a term) register, comprehending the greatest possible area of the earth's surface. This carried on for a few years, and dilligently studied and generalized in conjunction with the chartographies of other departments, might, and probably would, eventuate in the elimination of tabular results, which would go very far towards revealing some principles which would place Medicine somewhat above illy understood Art.

This could best be accomplished by government; we were about to add, by causing such records to be gathered in connection with the census: but this would allow too numerous sources of imperfection.

Perhaps a better plan would be to found a College of Statistics, composed, in the United States, of one member from each country-there are some sixteen hundred odd counties- to be chosen by ballot or otherwise as may be deemed most expedient, who shall be under bonds to government to prepare within a specified length of time a written treatise, containing the substance, of which we hare intimated an imperfect outline. This being accomplished, the next step might be that of appointing a corps of Reviewers, to make a digest of the county treatise. As an additional stimulus, if such seemed desirable a prize and honorary degree might be awarded to the author of the most complete production from each state.

But possibly these speculations are rather premature. As a private enterprise, the expense would be millions of dollars. To government, however, the outlay would be comparatively trifling; and to the archives of the country that first institutes such records, they will be an unsurpassed and everlasting use and honor.

In the foregoing brief, we have endeavored simply to direct attention to a vast field, which as yet remains mostly unsurveyed.

Having employed many odd hours in the contemplation of these subjects, perhaps we may be justified in recording some of our observations thereon. One of the several topics which has occupied our mind in this connection, is that of the CAUSE OF PERIODICITY; of which, next.-

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