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160 CHANNEL i s l a n d s :
The town, too, and neighbourhood of St. Helier,
are not the most favourably placed for affording the
means of exercise, so necessary for keeping up the
vigour of the animal frame, and breaking in upon the
monotony of life; and particularly to those whosu
previous lives have been passed in arms, amid the
stirring scenes of the ocean or the camp. The immediate
coast is rocky; and of dangerous approach, unless
under the guidance of an expert pilot. Hence,
few persons keep boats, or even indulge in the pleasant
recreation of sailing round the shores. Nor is
there any ground, conveniently set apart by the authorities,
for the public exercising of the people;
where the inhabitants might indulge in those healthy
sports, &c., whicli are so much resorted to in England.
Nor is there any public drive; or any gay promenade,
offering a temptation to the indolent, to enjoy the
pleasures of the open air.
It must however be admitted, that of the facilities
which St. Helier does afford, neither the residents nor
the other inhabitants appear to take due advantage.
The narrow, dirty, and ill-paved streets, appear to be
the only resort of fashion; and the Royal Square,—a
paved area, one hundred yards by fifty in extent, and
hermetically sealed up with houses all around,—is
regarded, by the male population, as a second grove
of Aacademus.
To all this, however, the pic-nic parties, formed in
the summer season, are a laudable exception; for it
must be admitted, that in wandering about the shores
of the island, the resident takes the most judicious
means for dissipating the languor arising from confinement
in the drawinoOz-room.
j e r s e y . 131
From the details above entered into, the reader will
not be surprised to hear that intermittent fever is
familiarly known in these parts. The parishes in
which it is most frequent are those of Grouville and
St. Peter. In the former there is a marshy common
two or three miles in circumference; bounded on all
sides, except towards the eastern sea (its aspect),
by an amphitheatre of hills, abounding in wood.
while the latter expands by several marshy valleys,
into a wide plain opening towards the southern sea,
(its aspect), the valleys being hemmed in by lofty hills.
Isolated cases of this fever are also occasionally witnessed
in other parishes ; particularly after falls of
rain, ensuing on long droughts—a circumstance not
unusual during the summer and autumn months.
The style of the disease is seldom nosologically complete
; such, for instance, as we see it in the counties
of Lincoln, Lancaster, Cambridge, and Essex: while,
in many cases, the disease is imperfectly shadowed
forth, not as a genuine idiopathic affection, but only
as a condition influencing other diseases that happen
to arise; either by exciting quotidian or tertian exacerbations
in their symptoms; by increasing the debility
beyond what is usual in such affections elsewhere
or in other seasons; or by protracting their cure beyond
the usual period.
Before quitting this part of my subject, I must not
omit to mention, that the “ autumnal bilious remittent
fever,” of British authors, although very unusual, has
certainly been seen in Jersey. Three cases of this
disease were last autumn brought under my notice by
my amiable friend, Mr. Le Gros, surgeon, late of
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