chiefly mercurial remedies, by means
o f which the difeafe may be removed
in its beginning. This difeafe is not
contagious, but very obftinate ; and
it is remarkable, that two generations
may be entirely free from it, when it
iliall appear in the third. It does not
always prove mortal, though many are
tormented with it twenty or thirty
years.
The gout forrvdrk) : moil men have
it, who go out a-fiiliing, in their hands,
probably becaufe they are obliged to
handle and manage the wet fifliing-
tackle in cold weather.
The St. Anthony’s fire, in Icelandic
aama, is pretty common. They make
ufe of earth-worms ftnamadkur) to
cure it, which they bind alive on the
afllicled part ; and when they become
dry, frefli ones are applied till the
difeaie is removed.
The jaundice, iu Icelandic guulfot ;
the fever, kvefsot ; the pleurify, tak,
which is fometimes infedlous, and
then is called hindfarfot, or an infectious
dheafe, that is frequently got by
cold ; lownefs of fpirits, careinoma in-
fanm:iiy in Icelandic krahhe a atumein;
the
I he fpleen, and obftruflions o f the
menfes, are very common. In later
years the rickets have made their appearance
; and the venereal difeafe
was not known among them till the
year 1753.
Befides the antifcorbutic plants to be
found in plenty in Iceland, they have
a number o f hot baths, which are o f
great benefit in the cure o f thefe
difeafes.
There is an apothecary’s (hop efta-
bllftied on the iiland, and four hofpitals
for the poor and leprous, the care
of which is committed to their moil
ikilful phyficians, with proper aflif-
tants.
L E T T E R
ii
‘»I
i\ Vl
'' i'
ft' i'
} f
' i , :
!
!■