252 On the black COLOR 



He tells us that on an ifland in the Pacific Ocean which he 

 vifited, the inhabitants were compofed of negroes and niu- 

 lattoes. They had thick lips, woolly hair, and were fome- 

 times of a yellowifh color. They were (liort, ugly, ill 

 proportioned, and moft of them infedted with the leprofy, 

 a circumftance from which he called the ifland they inha- 

 bit, the Ifle of Lepers. 



3. The leprofy fometimes appears with white and black 

 fpots blended together in every part of the body. A pic- 

 ture of a negro man in Virginia in whom this mixture of 

 white and black had taken place, has been happily preferv- 

 ed by Mr. Peale in his mufeum. 



4. The leprofy induces a morbid infenfibility in the 

 nerves. In countries where the difeafe prevails, it is com- 

 mon to fay that a perfon devoid of fenfibility, has no more 

 feeling than a leper. This infenfibility belongs in a pecu- 

 liar manner to the negroes. Dr. Mofeley fays, " they are 

 void of fenfibility to a fiirprizing degree. They fleep found 

 in every difeafe, nor does any mental diflurbance ever keep 

 them awake. They bear furgical operations much better 

 than white people, and what would be a caufe of infup- 

 portable pain to a white man, a negro would almoft difre- 

 gard. 1 have amputated the legs of many negroes, who 

 have held the upper part of the Umb themfelves."* This 

 morbid infenfibility in the negroes difcovers itfelf further in 

 the apathy with which they expofe themfelves to great 

 heat, and the indifference with which they handle coals of 

 fire. 



5. Lepers arc remarkable for having flrong venereal defires. 

 This is univerfal among the negroes, hence their uncom- 

 mon fruitfulnefs when they are not depreffed by flavery ; 

 but even flavery in its worft flate does not always fubdue 

 the venereal appetite, for after whole days, fpent in hard 



Treatife upon Tropical Difeafes, p. 475. 



labor 



