Among people whose food is so simple, and who 

 in general are seldom drunk, it is scarcely necessary 

 to say, that there are but few diseases ; we saw no 

 critical disease during our stay upon the island, and 

 but few instances of sickness, which were accidental 

 fits of the colic. The natives, however, are afflicted 

 with the erysipelas, and cutaneous eruptions of the 

 scaly kind, very nearly approaching to a leprosy. 

 Those in whom this distemper was far advanced, 

 lived in a state of seclusion from all society, each in 

 a small house built upon some unfrequented spot, 

 where they were supplied with provisions : but 

 whether they had any hope of relief, or languished 

 out the remainder of their lives in solitude and de- 

 spair, we could not learn. We observed also a few 

 who had ulcers upon different parts of their bodies, 

 some of which had a very virulent appearance ; yet 

 they seemed not much to be regarded by those who 

 were afflicted with them, for they were left entirely 

 without application even to keep off the flies. 



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