zio JAMAICA. 



pable of making a tolerable refiftance. The barracks for fifty men 

 are at a fmall diflance to the Southward. Thefe, like the others 

 before-fpoken of, are feparated only by a boarded partition, full of 

 holes, from the hofpital, which is very inconfiderately placed at the 

 windward-end; fo that a large quantity of the foul putrid air, 

 proceeding from thofe who are unhappily affected with any virulent 

 or epidemic diflemper, is immediately taken into the lungs, and 

 refpired by thofe who are, and probably might otherwife long con- 

 tinue, in found health. The houfe defigned for accommodation 

 of the officers is, with as little propriety, ereded to leeward of the 

 barracks, kitchen, and other neceflkry offices; whence all the 

 foetid effluvia, that reek from thefe fources, are wafted upon thole 

 who are flationed here in garrifon. A want of proper regulation 

 in thefe particulars is but too common in mofl of the maritime bar- 

 racks throughout the ifland; and not only the poor foldiers, but the ■ 

 ifland itfelf, may fuffer greatly, if it fliould not be remedied, . 

 The circumftance has been overlooked perhaps, as generally is the 

 cafe in this country, where the genuine parents of ficknefs are not 

 fcrupuloufly traced out. But it is to this miftaken difpofition, I 

 am perfuaded to believe, that the unhealthinefs of the garrifon, at; 

 particular times, has been chiefly owing ; for, fuppofing only one 

 or two men to lie fick in the hofpital of a malignant fever, they 

 may contaminate the atmofphere fo much in twenty-four hours, 

 as to render it morbid and infectious to the healthy who are lodged 

 in a fituation to be fufceptible of its pernicious efFe£ts. This misfor- 

 tune actually befel the garrifon in 1764, compofed entirely of men 

 newly-arrived from Europe.. One or two falling lick of putrid 

 fevers, the diforder foon grew epidemic. Thofe who probably 

 would have efcaped (at lead any bad fymptoms) if they could have 

 breathed a refrefliing air, were poifoned with the flench of the 

 hofpital and offices ; and feveral were feized with fevers of an ano- 

 malous kind, which feldom or never occur unlefs from fome fuch • 

 pre-dii'pofing caufe. In fa6t, the ficknefs fpread fo rapidly, that, . 

 in a (hort time, hardly ten men of the whole company were able 

 to do duty. Errors of this nature, though apparently trivial in the 

 opinion of many, ought not to be flighted, when the value of mens 

 lives comes to be rated. And, fince the modern difcoveries of 



learned 



