ii8 MEMOIR ON THE 



particles, refembling the grounds of cofFee. The other, 

 of a dark-coloured infpiiTated mucus : of each of thefe, I 

 lliall give a feparate defcription. 



This flaky diicharge was always preceded by violent 

 ficknefs and vomiting; and, as a precurfor to the ejec- 

 tion ot this matter, in feme cafes, the patients vomitetl a 

 fluid like whey, or muddy water, or one confifiing of a 

 browi\ flaky fubvlance, refembling chocolate, or fnoiled 

 porter, mixed with hrownifh-coloured mucus.* i hefe 

 fubflances were Ibmetimes of a lighter colour, and were 

 fufpenJcd in a ghjrey yellow-coloured fluid, which be- 

 came nearly tranfparent when at ref^, by the fubfiding 

 of a fmall number of brown particles. This coloured 

 matter v.-as generally vomited in fmall quantities, and 

 with confiderable difficulty ; but, when the bhtck flaky dif- 

 charge commenced, it was frequently ejeded in large 

 quantities, and with fimilar force to a fluid from the 

 action of an emetic. As the difeafe advances, this mat- 

 ter affumes a darker colour, and its quantity fometimes 

 becomes fo much augmented, that 1 have known one 

 gallon vomited in a8 hours, befides a confiderable quan- 

 tity, which was of a much thicker coniiftence, that was 

 difcharp-ed bv the bowels. This black vomit, after 

 Itanding fome hours, depofits a black flaky fubftance, 

 from a glarey yellow- coloured fluid, fimilar, in appearance, 

 to an infufion of green tea. 1 hcfe depofitions were 

 fometimes in diftintil particles, but, frequently, in a kind 

 of dark powder. The above particles were various in 

 fize, and of a very irregular figure, not unfrequcntly 

 mixed with pieces of the villous coat of the flomach. 

 Thefe may be diftinguiihed by their being longer in fub- 



fiding 



* The chocolate, or coffee ficknef?, or die black ficknefs, fays Dr. dc 

 Mor.chy, is not taken from the blackifli hue or fliade of the ikin, but It is 

 derived from the foetid, blackifh matter difcliarged from the firft paffage-s. 



See Difeafcs in Voyages to tlie Well-Indies. 



