The Consequence Of
These Sudden Variations Of Weather, Was This:
Putrid fevers were
less frequent than usual; but the sudden cheek of perspiration
from the cold, produced colds, inflammatory sore throats, and the
rheumatism.
I know instances of some English valetudinarians, who
have passed the winter at Aix, on the supposition that there was
little or no difference between that air and the climate of Nice:
but this is a very great mistake, which may be attended with
fatal consequences. Aix is altogether exposed to the north and
north-west winds, which blow as cold in Provence, as ever I felt
them on the mountains of Scotland: whereas Nice is entirely
screened from these winds by the Maritime Alps, which form an
amphitheatre, to the land-side, around this little territory: but
another incontestible proof of the mildness of this climate, is
deduced from the oranges, lemons, citrons, roses, narcissus's,
july-flowers, and jonquils, which ripen and blow in the middle of
winter. I have described the agreeable side of this climate; and
now I will point out its inconveniences. In the winter, but
especially in the spring, the sun is so hot, that one can hardly
take exercise of any sort abroad, without being thrown into a
breathing sweat; and the wind at this season is so cold and
piercing, that it often produces a mischievous effect on the
pores thus opened. If the heat rarifies the blood and juices,
while the cold air constringes the fibres, and obstructs the
perspiration, inflammatory disorders must ensue. Accordingly, the
people are then subject to colds, pleurisies, peripneumonies, and
ardent fevers. An old count advised me to stay within doors in
March, car alors les humeurs commencent a se remuer, for then the
humours begin to be in motion. During the heats of summer, some
few persons of gross habits have, in consequence of violent
exercise and excess, been seized with putrid fevers, attended
with exanthemata, erisipelatous, and miliary eruptions, which
commonly prove fatal: but the people in general are healthy, even
those that take very little exercise: a strong presumption in
favour of the climate! As to medicine, I know nothing of the
practice of the Nice physicians. Here are eleven in all; but four
or five make shift to live by the profession. They receive, by
way of fee, ten sols (an English six-pence) a visit, and this is
but ill paid: so you may guess whether they are in a condition to
support the dignity of physic; and whether any man, of a liberal
education, would bury himself at Nice on such terms. I am
acquainted with an Italian physician settled at Villa Franca, a
very good sort of a man, who practises for a certain salary,
raised by annual contribution among the better sort of people;
and an allowance from the king, for visiting the sick belonging
to the garrison and the gallies. The whole may amount to near
thirty pounds.
Among the inconveniences of this climate, the vermin form no
inconsiderable article. Vipers and snakes are found in the
mountains. Our gardens swarm with lizzards; and there are some
few scorpions; but as yet I have seen but one of this species. In
summer, notwithstanding all the care and precautions we can take,
we are pestered with incredible swarms of flies, fleas, and bugs;
but the gnats, or couzins, are more intolerable than all the
rest. In the day-time, it is impossible to keep the flies out of
your mouth, nostrils, eyes, and ears. They croud into your milk,
tea, chocolate, soup, wine, and water: they soil your sugar,
contaminate your victuals, and devour your fruit; they cover and
defile your furniture, floors, cielings, and indeed your whole
body. As soon as candles are lighted, the couzins begin to buz
about your ears in myriads, and torment you with their stings, so
that you have no rest nor respite 'till you get into bed, where
you are secured by your mosquito-net. This inclosure is very
disagreeable in hot weather; and very inconvenient to those, who,
like me, are subject to a cough and spitting. It is moreover
ineffectual; for some of those cursed insects insinuate
themselves within it, almost every night; and half a dozen of
them are sufficient to disturb you 'till morning. This is a
plague that continues all the year; but in summer it is
intolerable. During this season, likewise, the moths are so
mischievous, that it requires the utmost care to preserve woollen
cloths from being destroyed. From the month of May, 'till the
beginning of October, the heat is so violent, that you cannot
stir abroad after six in the morning 'till eight at night, so
that you are entirely deprived of the benefit of exercise: There
is no shaded walk in, or near the town; and there is neither
coach nor chaise to hire, unless you travel post. Indeed, there
is no road fit for any wheel carriage, but the common highway to
the Var, in which you are scorched by the reflexion of the sun
from the sand and stones, and at the same time half stifled with
dust. If you ride out in the cool of the evening, you will have
the disadvantage of returning in the dark.
Among the demerits of Nice, I must also mention the water which
is used in the city. It is drawn from wells; and for the most
part so hard, that it curdles with soap. There are many fountains
and streams in the neighbourhood, that afford excellent water,
which, at no great charge, might be conveyed into the town, so as
to form conduits in all the public streets: but the inhabitants
are either destitute of public spirit, or cannot afford the
expense. [General Paterson delivered a Plan to the King of
Sardinia for supplying Nice with excellent water for so small an
expence as one livre a house per annum; but the inhabitants
remonstrated against it as an intolerable Imposition.] I have a
draw-well in my porch, and another in my garden, which supply
tolerable water for culinary uses; but what we drink, is fetched
from a well belonging to a convent of Dominicans in this
neighbourhood.
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