1776. January. V/YV^ ing cataplafms made of aromatic herbs. But after 1 had enlarged the wound, and had dreffed it for a considerable time with a falve compofed of honey mixed with a little oil and melted wax, the patient’s diet all the while consisting only of wort, milk, and greens, with now and then a little bread, I was able to extradt a fplinter o f a bone three inches long, and three fingers broad, after which the whole lbemed difpofed to heal very fait. Notwithstanding that by limple and very eafy remedies of this kind, the lives of the African ruStics might be for the molt part faved, and the calamities attendant on life be mitigated; yet in this Simple and truly paf- toral way of life, fo univerfally celebrated for its felicity, and in the midit o f theij delightful parks and meadows, Still they are fo far unfortunate, that, when they are attacked by any diforder, they are either entirely ignorant o f the remedies belt adapted to the cure o f it, or for the moll part apply them very improperly; and at, the fame- time are at the distance of many hundred, and, indeed, one may fay, fome thoufands of miles from thofe, from whofe advice alone and affiltance they have reafon to ex- pe£l relief: and in fo far at leait is this much-vaunted paftoral way o f life, with all its Simplicity and concomitant ignorance, lefs to be prized than our more populous and better regulated focieties in towns and cities, where, befides the advantages redounding to mankind from all the other Sciences, that o f medicine in particular remarkably contributes to the happinefs enjoyed by mortals in this life. It appeared to me very Singular, that the colonills had very little, and, indeed, I may Say, no knowledge at all of one one of the commonest and molt troublefome diforders o f any they were fubjeit to, which was worms. Adults, and even elderly perlons, feemed to be more univerfally trou-, bled with this complaint than children; particularly with the tape worm, the Symptoms of which were likewife often plainly to be difcovered in men of the healthiest appearance, Befides a great number of the more ufual Symptoms, which afcertain the prelence, o f thefe animals, molt of the patients complained of an oppreffion at the breait, and an anxiety- about the heart (borjl quaal en benaauwde borft,'] for which reafon the greater part of them, fome of their own heads, and others in puriuance o f the advice o f quacks at the Cape, kept themfelves weak and low by a Spare diet and remedies againlt the confumption o f the lungs, and often kept on pertinaciously in this treatment. o f themfelves; though the longer they continued it, the worfe they grew. Nay, under an apprehension- of their lungs being diiealed, they had even given up their beloved brandy; though at the fame time they owned they never had obferved that it was in any ways prejudicial to them, in refpeit to the' principal .complaint. Having, therefore, during the oppreffion on the chell, the fwoonings, or the difficulty of relpiration with which they were feized, been perfuaded- by me to take a fup or two of it, efpecialty when the virtues o f it were heightened by wilde aljtes (a kind o f wormwood) being infufed in it, and they having always found inftant relief for the time, their joy can hardly be conceived, which was not lefs (as they fometimes jocofely con-feiied) on account of their being able to enjoy the fweets of this delicious remedy, than of the effect it had
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