The influence of the rise and fall of the soil water in typhoid fever, upon which so much stress is laid by Pettenkofer and others, no doubt exists, acting in some cases through pollution of the drinking water by the subsoil water leaking through a polluted soil; in other cases, perhaps, by air from the soil bearing the unknown germ. The filtering power of soil as regards air is, however, very great, a few inches of sand being sufficient to remove the ordinary germs of putrefaction from air drawn through it, and this for a long period; while, on the {188} contrary, many feet of the same sand will not remove the germs from water passed through it. Usually, as Dr. Parkes remarks, in an examination of soil the immediate local conditions are of more importance than the general geological formation, yet this last, as influencing conformation and the movement of water and air over and through a country, is also important. The practical questions on this point are, what higher ground than the site in question exists in the vicinity? what are the character and direction of the strata between such elevation and the site? and, what sources of soil-pollution exist on the higher level? As to the site itself, is it on made ground? what is the height of the foundation above the subsoil water? and, what precautions have been taken to secure drainage and to cut off communication between the interior of the house and the ground air? Probably a trial excavation or boring may be necessary to determine some of these points.