The Diseases of the Country

Abstract

The geographical-climatological review has shown that Afghanistan is an arid and in part semi-arid country. The barren mountain ranges, the arid steppes and deserts, the light alluvial soils of most fruit oases which are permeable to water, the fast-flowing mountain streams and the high degree of evaporation are all without doubt unfavourable to the spread of many infections and Afghanistan does not therefore comply with our idea of a “country of epidemic diseases”. The natural features at least provide epidemiological conditions which are distinct from those in humid tropical lowlands. The aim of the ensuing discussion will be to demonstrate the individual features in the spreading of diseases which are conditioned by the area.