EARTHWORKS ON HARPETH RIVERS. 93 



As it is well established that malarial haematuria and the severer and more fatal 

 forms of malarial fever prevailed only iu certain years, and appeared to be depen- 

 dent, to a large extent, on the degree of heat and moisture, as well as on the 

 amount of organic matter in the soil ; as these epidemics in the tropical and 

 temperate regions of America are often of the widest extent and severest cha- 

 racter; as the Indians suffered to an almost ecjuul degree with the whites, and 

 were, in North America, without the most important remedies, bark and quinine, 

 it is but reasonable to suppose that, in certain seasons, large numbers perished by 

 these diseases. And were it not for the free use of quinine in the treatment of 

 paroxysmal fevers, many portions of the Southern cities would, from time to time, 

 have beeir depopulated. Even in the more elevated regions of the country, such as 

 those formerly inhabited by the mound-builders, the, mortality from these diseases 

 would now be very great, but for the beneficial effects of this remedy. 



The origin of the American plague or typhus (vomito pricto, yellow fever) is 

 involved in doubt, on account of the prevalence in tlic tropical, sub-tropical, and 

 temperate regions, both amongst the natives and foreigners, of severe forms of 

 malarial fever, often attended with jaundice, and sometimes with black vomit. If 

 it could be determined at what time tliis terrible disease was clearly recognized by 

 the medical profession and historical writers, as distinct from malarial fever, and 

 as dependent on a specific cause, or upon a combination of causes peculiar to this 

 fever, a firm ground for the discussion of its origin and its relations to the native 

 population, as well as to the foreign elements on the American Continent, would 

 be established. But it is well known that many of the older descriptions will apply 

 as well to the severer forms of malarial fever, as to yellow fever ; and also that 

 the distinction of the one 'from the other has been the result of comparatively recent 

 labors ; and even at the present time there are not a few physicians who hold to 

 tlie identity of these two diseases in their origin and essential nature. 



If the history of yellow fever in the Western Hemisphere be considered, it will 

 be found that the accounts and elates of its origin vary with the extent and character 

 of the information of the writers in each city, locality, or island. Thus the French 

 writers call it Maladle de Slam, and hold the tradition tluit the disease had been 

 imported in the ship Oriflamme, which sailed with French colonists from Siara in 

 the latter part of the year 1690. But it can be proved that the Oriflamme touched 

 at Brazil, where yellow fever had been prevailing for several years, and Father 

 Labat, who arrived at Martinico on the 29th of January, 1694, tells us that the 

 passengers of the ship caught the disease in Brazil. Equally incorrect was the 

 account given by Dr. Henry Warren of its introduction into Barbadoes between 

 the years 1732 and 1738. It appears, however, from the statements of Mr. Richard 

 Vines, a planter and practitioner of physic at Barbadoes, that yellow fever pre- 

 vailed with destructive effects, as an ahsolute plague, as early as the year 164:7; 

 and Dr. Edward N. Bancroft, in his " Essay on Yellow Fever," suggests that it was 

 called a new distemper in 1691 and 1694 because all who had had any accurate 

 knowledge of it in 1647 were probably dead or removed. 



Dr. Hillary, who enjoyed a high reputation as a successful practitioner and 

 learned physician in Barbadoes, affirms that yellow fever appears to be a disease 



