436 JAMAICA. 



woman. Now, the population of Afric, as has been fhewn, is 

 partly imputable to their larger proportion of women; infomuch 

 that, although the greatefl; man among their provinces may have 

 fifty, fixty, or more wives or concubines, yet the meaneft man is 

 fureofoneat leaft. The women here are, in general, common 

 proftitutes ; and many of them take fpecifics to caufe abortion, 

 in order that they may continue their trade without lofs of time, 

 or hindrance of bufinefs ; and, befides, their admitting fuch pro- 

 mifcuous embraces muft neceffarily hinder, or deftroy, conception. 

 We may add to-this the venereal difcale ; which, together with the 

 medicines taken, either to repel, or carry off the •virus., frequently 

 kills the foetus, and fterilizes both men and women. 



Worms are extremely fatal to children in this climate, and de- 

 ftroy more than any other difeafe. Others frequently perifti, within 

 nine or ten days of their birth, by what is called here y^w-/^///;7g- ; 

 which is caufed by a retention of the ;;/^cowVwi : by not keepincr the 

 infimt fufficiently warm ; or by giving it rum, and aliment of hard 

 digeftion. 



Moll of the black women are very fubjeft to obflrudions; from 

 what caufe I will not prelume to fay ; but, perhaps, they may be 

 afcribed, in part, to their ufing refcringent baths, or wafhing them- 

 felves in cool water at improper periods. Child-birth is not fo eafy 

 here as in Afric; and many children are annually deftroyed, 

 as well as their mothers, by the unlkilfulnefs and abfurd manage- 

 ment of the Negroe midwives. 



Thus we find here are various caufes which prevent the multi- 

 plication of Negroes on the plantations ; not but that unfeafonable 

 work may fometimes be added to the lift; yet, in general, as it 

 is happy for thefe people, that the planter's intereft concurs with 

 the obligations of humanity in moft cafes that relate to the care of 

 them ; lo it is unneceflary to fay, that in the time of geilation, 

 they are treated with more than common indulgence, to prevent 

 any fuch accidents. 



The knowledge of the caufe of any difeafe condudsus tothe me- 

 thod of cure. To augment our Negroes therefore by procreation, 

 we muft endenvour to remedy thofe evils which impede or fruflrate 

 its natural effect. And, to conclude, if the wafle of thefe men 



(hould 



