Il'
(M IA P . taken from the Journal of the surgeon of the Blossom. The intoxicat-
ing property of the ava root, the cutaneous eruption which succeeds its
is27 renovating effect it has upon the constitution, have been
noticed ever since the discovery of the Society Islands. Mr. CoUie
observes that—“ a course ofit is most beneficial in renovating constitutions
which have been worn out by hard living, long residence in warm
climates, without, however, affections of the liver, and by protracted
chronic diseases; more especially if the disorder be such as by the
humoral pathologists would be attributed to an attenuated or acrid
state of the blood.” He had an opportunity of seeing “a gentleman, a
foreigner, who had undergone a course of it to remove a cutaneous affection
said to have been similar to St. Anthony’s fire. It had affected
at different times almost every part of the body, going from one place
to another, but had been particularly obstinate in one leg. He took
two doses a day of half a pint each, one before breakfast and one before
dinner, by which his appetite was sharpened; and by the time he had
finished his meal a most pleasing state of half intoxication had come on,
so that he was just able to go to his couch, where he enjoyed a sound
and refreshing sleep.
“ About the second or third week, the eyes became suffused with
blood, and the cuticle around them began to scale, w'hen the M'hole
surface of the body assumed the appearance above described. The
first dose is continued for a week or so, according to the disease, and
then gradually left off. The skin clears at the same time, and the
whole system is highly benefited.
“ I recommended the ava, and had an opportunity of seeing the
first effects upon a man affected with chronic superficial ulceration,
affecting the greater part of the toes, and the anterior part of the soles
of the feet. The legs and feet were oedematous and swelled; the pain
was very distressing, preventing any sound repose, and not permitting
him even to lie down or bring them up, so as to be near a line horizontal
with the body. T'he ulcers were covered with a tough, viscid, dark-
coloured discharge that adhered to the surface, and entirely concealed
it. Ilis frame was emaciated, pulse quick and irritable, appetite gone,
tongue dry and reddish; he had taken mercurial preparations at two
previous periods, as he said, with considerable benefit; but for want of
the medicines it was stopped, when the sores were nearly healed,
had been, and I believe still was addicted to drinking spirituous liquors.
The ava was given three times a day with the same immediate effects
as before-mentioned, and at the end of ten days the ulcers were clean
and healing. From the commencement of the course he had been able
to lie down, allowing his feet to hang over the bed-side : he had slept
soundly, and his appetite was good. Could he have procured and
applied a suitable dressing for the ulcers with appropriate support to
the oedematous extremities, I have no hesitation in saying that the plan
would have succeeded. Even with all these disadvantages, I am inclined
to beUeve that a cure will be effected if he abstains from liquor.”
In this account of the Sandwich Islands, I have avoided touching
upon subjects connected with the mythology, traditions, and early manners
and customs of the islanders, from a conviction that I could give
but an imperfect sketch of them, and from a hope that they will hereafter
be laid before the public by the author of Polynesian Kesearches,
who from his intimate knowledge of the language, his long residence
in the Pacific, and from the nature ofhis occupations, has greater opportunities
of becoming acquainted with them than any other foreigner.
My endeavour has been to give as faithful an account as I could of the
government, and of the state of society in the islands at the time of our
visit, and of the resources and commerce of the country. Had my
occupations been less numerous, 1 might have done more justice to these
subjects ; but the determination of the position of the place, and the
attention to other observations, occupied my time so completely, that I
had very little leisure for any other pursuits.
The results of the observations that were made there will be given
in the Appendix ; and the natural history will form part of two volumes
which will shortly appear before the public.
During the absence of the ship from the Sandwich Islands, Captain
Charlton, the consul, had succeeded in procuring a supply of salt provision
for her. This was the more opportune, as the meat which had been
corned in California was found on examination to be so bad, that it
was necessary to throw the whole of it overboard. V e at first imagined
that this failure proceeded from our ignorance of the proper
method of curing the meat, but that which had been prepared at
3 k 2