In the reports given from the parish ministers in the statistical accounts of Scotland, the effects of drainage upon the general health of the population are strongly marked in almost every county, expressed in notes made from an examination of the returns. Sutherland—parish of _Rogart_, “healthy, and a good deal of draining.” _Farr_, “subject to no particular disease; a deal of draining.” Ross and Cromarty—_Alness_, dry and healthy, “climate improved by drainage.” It is to be understood that drainage appears to form the essential part of agricultural improvement, which is connected with the improvement of health. Thus the notes from another parish in the same county, _Kilmuir_, _Wester_ and _Suddy_, states it as “healthy; great improvement; scarcely an acre in its original state.” _Rosemarkie_, “healthy; agriculture much improved.” Elgin—_New Spynie_, “healthy, much waste reclaimed, much draining.” _Alves_, “dry and healthy, well cultivated, wood sometimes used for drains.” Banff—_Deckford_, “healthy, and people long lived, much draining.” Kincardine—_Fordoun_, “so much draining that now no swamps: formerly, agues common, now quite unknown.” Angus—_Carmylie_, “health improved from draining.” Kinross—_Kinross_, “agues prevalent sixty years ago in consequence of marshes, now never met with.” _Oswell_, “ague prevailed formerly, but not since the land was drained.” Perth—_Methven_, “the north much improved by draining.” _Redgorton_, “healthy; no prevailing disease; ague was frequent formerly, but not since the land has been drained and planted.” _Moneydie_, “healthy; an immense improvement by draining.” _Abernyte_, “since the land was drained, scrofula rare and ague unknown.” _Monzie_, “healthy; a good deal of land reclaimed.” _Auchterarder_, “much draining, and waste land reclaimed—climate good.” _Muckhart_, “great improvement in agriculture; ague formerly prevalent—not so now.” _Muthill_, “healthy, much draining and cultivation extended.” And similar statements are made from the rural districts in all parts of the country. In the course of inquiries as to what have been the effects of land drainage upon health, one frequent piece of information received has been that the rural population had not observed the effects on their own health, but they had marked the effects of drainage on the health and improvement of the stock. Thus the less frequent losses of stock from epidemics are beginning to be perceived as accompanying the benefits of drainage in addition to those of increased vegetable production. _Dr. Edward Harrison_, in a paper in which he points out the connexion between the rot in sheep and other animals, and some important disorders in the human constitution, observes:—