It is not to be supposed that the question of temperament
will, in these days of an ill-advised short service system, be
considered sufficiently important to regulate the choice of
soldiers for tropical duty. For, as a rule, notwithstanding
the recognised liability of young soldiers to typhoid (or rather
perhaps to climatic fever resembling typhoid), the European
usually enjoys the best health, and feels the heat least
oppressive, during his first years of tropical life, or before
that blood deterioration progresses, which so characteristi-
cally impresses on the appearance of the European the
combined stamp of heat, of so-called malaria, of a rarified
air, necessitatiug a diminution of oxygen, and probably of
the want of a due proportion of vegetable food, — a deterio-
ration which, under agencies I will not stop to name, occurs
more quickly among soldiers than to other classes. I think/
however, the sickness and mortality, not only of soldiers, but
also of Europeans generally in India, would be materially
lessened if the question of temperament were taken into



FOR TROPICAL CLIMATES



41



prominent consideration when deciding on fitness for the
tropics, — not aa the main determining factor, but as one
turning the balance in cases of doubt For it must not be
. forgotten that in addition to the greater . liability of some
temperaments to be affected by the influences attending
tropical life than others, different temperaments are ordin-
arily associated with a constitutional condition or diathesis,
rendering persons of different type more prone than others
in any ctlniate to certain specific diseases. The term dia-
thesis may be defined as any condition of health giving rise
to proclivity to definite forma of disease, and therefore it
must not be forgotten that a diathesis may be acquired, as
for example the syphilitic, the malarious, the scorbutic, all
of which should forbid tropical residence.
