aa 
XXX 
The Introduction. 
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the Air, whereby they fall in time into Confumptions, Drop- 
fies, exc. if they mils Apoplectic Fits. 
Rum is made of Cane-juice not fit to make Sugar, being eaten 
with Worms ina bad Soil, or through any other tault ; or of the 
Skummings of the Coppers in Crop time, or of Moloffus and wa- 
ter fermented about fourceen days in Cifterns, and then diftill’d off, 
of which an account will be given hereafter, It feems to be much the 
fame with Rack, or Arac (made in the Eaft- Indies of Rice) and other 
vinous Spirits, the Creatures of Fermentation, and has an unfavoury 
Empyreumatical fcent, which is endeavour’d to be taken off b 
Reétification, mixing Rofemary with it, or after double Diftilling 
Jetting it ftand under Ground in Jars. 
They talk of a common Experiment here, that any Animals Li- 
ver put into Rum grows foft, and not fo in Brandy, whence they 
argue this laft lefs wholefome than that, but their Experiment, if 
true, proves no fuch thing. I think ic may be faid to have all 
good and bad qualities of Brandy, or any fermented or vinous Spirit. 
It is, and may be usd outwardly, inftead of Alungary-water, in 
Aches, Pains, exc. efpecially that which is double diftill’d. 
The better fort of People lie as in England, though more on 
Quilts, and with few, if any Coverings; they hold here that lying 
expos‘d to the Land Breezes, is very unhealthy, which I do not be- 
lieve to come fo much from the qualities of the Air, either mani- 
feft or more obfcure, as from this, that the Air is, when one goes 
to fleep kege,very hot, the Sun beams having heated it fo long, ic 
retains this heat for fome confiderable time in the night, which after- 
wards wearing away, it grows towards morning very cold, and 
affects one fo much as by the coldnefs fometimes to awake one if 
fleeping, This muft of neceffity check infenfible tran{piration, and 
fo may be the caufe of many Difeafes. To avoid this, Negros and 
Indians fleep not without a Fire near them. 
Hlamacas are the common Beds of ordinary white People, they 
were in ufe amongft the Indians, and are much cooler than Beds. {fo 
cool as not to be lain in without Clothes, efpecially if fwung, asis 
ulually the cuftom here. This fort of Bed is very proper for People 
troubled with Rhumatifms, or inflam’d Blood, as alfo thofe who 
have any great defluxion on any part of their Legs or Thighs ; alfo 
for Women with Child in danger of Mifcarriage, the high lying or 
-pofition of the: parts, the Heels being up as high as the Head, fa- 
vouring this. “Tis a very good way, and eafie for a fick Perfon to 
be carried in one of thefe from place to place by four Men, as is the 
Cuftom of the better fort of people in Guinea. 
Indians 
