THE MODERN INHABITANTS. 121 
Several cases of ichthyosis have been noted by our doctors, all of 
them congenital. In this disease the skin of the patient has the ap- 
pearance of being composed of small scales like those of fishes. 
Though the disease is apparently incurable, the patients do not appear 
to suffer and their general health is good. Among other skin diseases 
is that known in the Eastern Tropics as ** dhobie itech” (7/ned efremnati), 
a kind of ringworm which, if unchecked, spreads over the skin in 
large areas. This was very common among our own men. A good 
remedy for skin diseases is the ‘tringworm shrub” (//erpetica alata). 
introduced into Guam and the Philippines from Mexico, and called 
by the natives “tacapulco.” Another excellent remedy is an ointment 
made of + per cent of chrysarobin with vaseline, Chrysarobin, known 
also as **goa powder,” is obtained from the longitudinal canals and inter- 
spaces of the wood of And/ra arareba. ua Brazilian tree belonging to 
the Leguminosae. 
The most prevalent disease among the natives is hereditary syphilis. 
During the first years of the American occupation of the islind no 
primary or secondary cases were observed, The most frequent symp- 
toms of this disease are ulcers and hard lumps on various parts of the 
body and destructive joint and bone lesions. It is not uncommon for 
a young man or woman, or even a little child, of apparently fine phy- 
sique to be afflicted with an ulcer in the palate or nose, which often 
spreads over the face and sometimes destroys the eyes. Syphilis, like 
leprosy. was probably introduced into Guam by diseased conviets and 
luborers, some of whom were Chinese, sent to the island from the 
Philippines at the request of some of the early governors. One 
governor’s report, to which reference has already been made, describes 
the condition of some of the convict laborers sent to Guam, who were 
afflicted with scurvy and skin diseases and foul ulcers. After under- 
going medical treatment for a short time they were distributed over 
the island.” It is probable that many others previously sent, of whose 
importation we have no record, were also diseased in like manner, 
and that little or no effort was made on the part of the authorities to 
prevent the contagion from spreading. 
On the arrival of the Americans at Guam, the natives flocked by 
scores to our medical officers for treatment. Inthe report of the 
Surgeon-General of the Navy for 1900, attention is called to the extra- 
ordinary success attending the treatment of hereditary syphilis, nearly 
every case of which responded immediately to potassium iodide or to 
mercury, administered either in large or in small doses. 
Another source of disease was the frequent visits of whaling vessels 
and the establishment on the island of a hospital for the treatment of 
a Tlegaron 21 enfermos, unos escorbutados y otros con lagas y enfermedades 
cutaneas.”? (Don Pablo Perez, letter to the captain-general of the Philippines, ined., 
October 17, 1851.) 
