On Malaricu 85 



sonal precautions, it is universally recommended to use wine 

 and a good diet, and especially never to leave the house in the 

 evening in situations peculiarly insalubrious, without the pre- 

 vious use of wine or spirits ; whence the universal practice of 

 Holland in this respect. Thus, also, narcotics prevent its 

 influence ; whence the wide use of tobacco, of which the salu- 

 tary effects appear to be most amply established. 



As to the tropical countries, there is here also one important 

 remark, which, from the great neglect of the fact, and its ruin- 

 ous consequences, appear particularly to demand a statement 

 in this place. It is the universal experience of the inhabitants} 

 that the attack of malaria, or the production of fevers, is aided 

 by the use of a full or animal diet; by the use of some parti- 

 cular articles of food, such as butter; by excess in eating, gene- 

 rally ; and, above all, by eating in the heat of the day. This is 

 not merely well known to the negroes, but the fact is distinctly 

 stated to travellers, and the caution urged, however often it has 

 been neglected, and especially by our own countrymen. Of 

 this, in particular, Major Denham is a strong testimony ; while 

 he attributes his own exclusive preservation to his having 

 rigidly followed the recommendations of the natives, which 

 Were always urged with the greatest earnestness. And if we 

 examine the causes of death, in most cases, of our African 

 travellers especially, I think there will be strong reasons for 

 believing that their lives have often been sacrificed to this very 

 negligence or obstinacy ; while it is most evident that Niebuhr's 

 party, in particular, owed the loss of their lives to ^^ilat may be 

 safely called gluttony : and it is to be suspected that this will 

 also explain the loss of Captain Tuckey's party; while, with 

 respect to nations, it has long been known that the English, 

 the Dutch, and the northern voracious people in general, who 

 habitually indulge themselves in the customs of their original 

 country as tropical colonists, have always been greater sufferers 

 from the effects of those climates than the French and the 

 Spaniards, and apparently from this very difference. And 

 there seems little doubt, generally, that the \,egetable diet of 

 Africa and Hindostan is the best security against the evil 

 influence of those climates, and that the chief sufferings of our 



