EARLIEST ACCOUNT OF SLEEPING SICKNESS 5 



and since the Africans are hereditarily ignorant, destitute 

 of all Art and Science, or any mechanical Knowledge to 

 exercise the Brain, it consequently grows weaker in its 

 inward Structure and Recesses ; and falls together with 

 the Judgement and Passions. 



" The Cure is attempted by whatever rouzes the Spirits ; 

 bleeding in the Jugular, quick Purges, Sternutories, 

 Vesicatories, Acu-Puncture, Seton, Fontanels, and sudden 

 Plunges into the Sea, the latter is most effectual when 

 the Distemper is new, and the Patient not yet driveling 

 at Mouth and nose." ^ 



Noteworthy in this account are the number of causes 

 assigned to this mysterious disease, and the naive way 

 in which the author assigns the conditions to " some 

 or all of these causes " ! 



The essential characteristics of the disease in an advanced 

 stage are all noted ; the " Indolence," " State of Insensi- 

 bility," ''Hunger," ''Sense of Feeling very little," 

 but the preliminary stages were not noted, for Atkins 

 says it gives no other notice than a want of appetite two 

 or three days before ! 



With the aid of a little imagination one can see a 

 terrible picture of these wretched, somnolent natives 

 being subjected to " pulUng, drubbing or whipping " in 

 the endeavour to give them sufficient " Exercise " to 

 " throw off the recrementitious Humours " and afterwards 

 " voraciously eating though Victuals be never so dirtily 

 cook'd " ! 



The " Sudden Plunges into the Sea " are not used 

 for curing Sleeping Sickness at the present day ! 



^ The Navy Surgeon : or Practical System of Surgery ivith a Disserta- 

 tion on Cold and Hot Mineral Springs and Physical Observations on the 

 Coast of Guiney, by John Atkins, Surgeon. London ; Printed for J. 

 Hodges, at the Looking Glass, over against St. Magnus Church, London 

 Bridge. aiDCCXLII. pp. 364-7. 



