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yellow fever among the whites; febrifuges and sudorifics were chiefly administered, rhubarb is given in cases of dysentery; and, as a nourishment, Indian arrow-root, mixed with Port wine, and given frequently in small quantities, is a most sovereign remedy.

One of the most curious diseases to which the Africans are subject, is the Guinea-worm, as it is called, being a worm of two, three, or more yards in length, which breeds in the flesh, commonly the thick part of the leg. Few or none of the Creole negroes are attacked with this disease. Another troublesome animal here, which gets into the flesh, is the chego. It is a very small insect, almost indeed invisible, which burying itself in the fleshy parts of the feet, soon increases in size, and deposits, if suffered to remain in its usurped abode, a numerous progeny; these soon spread into other parts; and this annoyance, though not a disease in itself, soon becomes the parent of diseases, such as inveterate ulcers, elephantiases, &c. Nothing more, however, is necessary to guard against this mischief, than cleanliness and attention; and, above all, taking particular care to extract these intruders as soon as possible. But so indolent and so negligent are many of the negroes in this respect, that they will often suffer these insects to remain till they have ate away the very flesh from their toes, and brought, as frequently happens, in

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curable lameness upon themselves thereby. The entrance of this animal into the flesh is easily perceptible by a sharp pain, resembling the puncture of a fine needle; and its subsequent presence is known by an incessant and troublesome itching around the part which it has usurped. Either the negroes are not so susceptible of this sensation as the whites, or it is not unpleasant to them. It is said, with what truth the author will not assert, that a white Creole female was wont to remark, that she thought "this sensation was one of the luxuries of the island !"-As much, it is to be presumed, as a certain cutaneous affection is reported to be to a native of North Britain.

The negroes are subject to a strange craving of the stomach for earth: earth-eaters are common upon almost every plantation. This propensity, or craving, is as common among the children as among the grown negroes. If this practice originates in a diseased stomach, as it is asserted it does, it must of course in some measure be involuntary; and the harsh severe means which are often used to reclaim the negroes from it, are doubtless improper, if not barbarous; but if merely the effect of a vitiated taste, perhaps such strictness, seconded by an attention to the supplying them with the most wholesome and savoury food, may have its effect. One would think that restraint, without other severity, would

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answer every purpose. The negroes themselves are of a different opinion. When a mother discovers her child indulging this strange appetite, she has recourse to the severest correction; she threatens, storms, and chastises by turns, and it would be in vain to persuade her that this unfortunate appetite is the inevitable effect of disease. The effects which it produces on the system, are a nausea for all other food, bloated swellings over the body, a corruption of the whole mass of the blood, shortness of breath, reachings, &c. these, if the practice be not discontinued, reduce the infatuated negro to the lowest state of debility, and must inevitably end in death. The author knew an elderly negro, who, though he had plenty of food at command, considered a mud-cake as preferable to any. He would carefully and ingeniously, and in as private a manner as possible, rake up mud from the bottom of a horse-pond, and forming it into the shape of small cakes, toast it on the fire and eat it! This disease, when of long standing, becomes very obstinate and difficult to be cured.

The negro children are subject to a variety of disorders; some of which are of a fatal tendency, and peculiar to the West Indies, and other tropical climates which the negro inhabits. The most formidable of these is locked jaw. Grown negroes are also sometimes attacked with this terrible symptom, and suddenly expire, unless re

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lief be soon given to the suffering patient: the jawbones become fixed in their sockets, the upper and lower teeth adhere closely and strongly to each other, so that even a pin can hardly at times be introduced between them; and the silent and wild looks of the afflicted patient, shew the agony he endures, and the danger he is in. This dreadful affection in infants, sometimes comes on without any apparent cause; but it is more frequently the concomitant of some other disorder. Many of the negro children die of it; but it seldom or never visits a white child. The other fatal disorders to which the negro infants are liable, are sore throats, hooping-coughs, convulsion fits, &c. The hooping-cough is an epidemic complaint among the children here, and it frequently carries off great numbers. Both white and negro children are liable to it; but the latter most. Sore throats are, however, most fatal to the white children; but liver complaints, by which these are often dangerously attacked, do not often visit the negro children; as if the systems, as well as habits, of the two races, were of an opposite nature.

The negro population of Jamaica is at the present time (1807) little less than three hundred thousand. Whether this population will be kept up, now that the wonted supply from Africa has ceased, time will shew. Certain it is, that a diminution, instead of an increase, has generally heretofore

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taken place, exclusively of the African supply. Perhaps the stoppage of this supply may operate to increase the care and vigilance of the negro proprietor over the health and comforts of his slaves; though indeed his interest clearly pointed out to him such attention previous to this having taken place; as an able seasoned negro was worth to him an hundred and fifty or sixty pounds, and the price of a newly imported one was an hundred and fifteen or twenty pounds.

As a great deal has already been said on the cause or causes of this diminution of negro population in the West Indies, little need here be added on the subject. The numerous and fatal disorders to which the negro children are liable, have justly been assigned as one cause. Another which has been given is, the state of polygamy in which the negroes live. This doubtless is a very obvious cause. To enter into a dissertation why polygamy should thus operate were superfluous; it is sufficient that experience shews that it is inimical to population. But how is it to be remedied among the negroes in the West Indies, is the question? The negro, who does not profess himself a Christian, smiles at the idea of confining himself to one female companion, when his circumstances enable him, and his passions and taste for variety, instigate him to have half a dozen. He would consider a restraint in this respect, so hostile to his habits and the practice

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