148 Notices respecting New Books. 
ail its forms. His inquiry was not, therefore, whether he 
should find it, but how general, and with what severity, it 
would appear, and also how he might preserve the health 
of his crew. .From these circumstances, and still more 
from the character of the gentleman, no doubt can be en- 
tertained of the faithfulness of his conclusion, which is, 
that ‘¢ the venereal disease is unknown in Otaheite.”* At 
first sight, it may seem strange that this opinion of mine 
has never been published before the fact was confirmed by 
Mr. Wilson. To this { can only answer, that to offer an 
opinion on a subject without the mean’ of ascertaining it, 
must atleast be premature. There are, however, fortunately, 
Witnesses that such was my opinion. Dr. Garthshore is one 
of the gentlemen to whom I wrote from Madeira on the 
subject. The late Dr. Pitcairn was another; which is con- 
firmed by his note now in my possession, and also by a 
communication he made to a most distinguished philoso- 
phical character now living. 
<< But perhaps it may be asked, Admitting the whole 
as I have stated it, why should the reader be troubled with 
the account? In order, I answer, that he may learn there 
are certain characters by which the venereal disease may be 
distinguished with certainty ; that these are so well marked 
as to be understood by description ; and that even the ab- 
sence of them may be ascertained by those who take the 
tronble of examining with sufficient diligence. It may 
then be asked, How could the accurate Hunter have fallen 
so easily into the belief, that the venereal disease was 
known in all its forms in the South Sea islands?) Mr. Hun- 
ter, it may be answered, had not the prolixity of a French 
surgeon’s account to make him doubiful on the subject. 
When I speak of prolixity in this case, it is not from dis- 
respect. Though De la Peyrouse’s surgeon was mistaken, 
sull his descriptions are so minute as to enable the reader 
to comprehend what symptoms were present. It was from 
the description, not from the name, of the disease, that I 
stispected De la Peyrouse’s cases were not venereal, and it 
was natural to transfer this scepticism to the South Sea dis- 
ease. On examination, it was found that the account, de- 
fective as itis, would authorize the same conclusion,” 
*«From the foregoing statement,” says Mr. Wilson, “ it may be con- 
cluded, without, I hope, presuming too much, that notwithstanding the 
melancholy accounts we read of the ravages of lues venerea at Otaheiteé, 
and eyen disputations about its first importers, this disease was not intro- 
‘duced theré antecedent to the Porpoise’s voyages.”—See din. Med. Journal, 
vol. ii. p.288The Porpoise is His Majesty's ship of which Mr, Wilson 
Was surgeon, and arrived at Port Jackson in June 1801, : We 
e 
