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2 



JAMAICA. 



by an extraordinary flow of perfpiratlon, and the current of the 

 humours towards the Ikin, promoted by the heat of climate. It 

 muft not be unnoticed, that the periftaltic motion of the bowels 

 being here perhaps more languid than in Europe, perfons newly 

 arrived are often ilibjecl to conftipations ; and lumetimes the faces 

 are fo hardened, as to be excreted with great difficulty. The re- 

 tention of them too long may therefore not only caufe an acrimony 

 to lodge in the inteftines, produftive of belly-ach, or other fpal- 

 modic complaints; but give rife to bad fevers, by the abfoiption of 

 fuch an acrid and putrid humour into the veins. It is ncceflary, 

 therefore, to keep tbe body always open. Chocolate tends to this 

 effed; and it is obferved by Ulloa, that, at Carthagena, wbere it is 

 to be liad extremely cheap, there is not a Negroe flave but allows 

 himfelf conflantly a regale of it after breakfaft and dinner ; but 

 they never ufe \x fajl'ing^ nor without eating fomething with it. I 

 have, in another place, cautioned Europeans, newly arrived, from 

 indulging too mucli in it, efpecially when made thick. I alluded 

 to the coftlicr lort of chocolate, manuhiftured here with cinnamon, 

 and other !;()t fpices, whicli are the ingredients that render it im- 

 proper for them. But the common Ibrt, chiefly uied among the 

 free Negroes, and others of the natives wlio love it pla'.n, is mixed 

 up with maize; and this may be fafely ufed by llich Europeans, 

 diluted with milk and water: in this ftate it will be found rather 

 cooling than b.eating ; and the addition of iugar makes it the more 

 aperitive. Sedcs fguralce are feldom obferved in this climate; 

 whicli may be afcribed to the weaker periftaltic motion above 

 remarked, as well as to the diet purfued by moft of the inhabitants, 

 confilfing chiefly of vegetables and foluble fubftances. 



in all hot countries it has been obferved, that healthy people ge- 

 nerally pcrlpire very much ; and this (from the greater difpofition 

 of the humours to putrefcence) may be accounted one of the prin- 

 cipal confervators of health. It is therefore furprizing to find Mr. 

 Reaumur aficrt, " tliat perfpiration impairs the longevity of all 

 «' animals, by difcharging, not only the ufelefs, but nutritious, parts 

 " of the animal fluids ; and that an excefs of perlpiration feems to 

 '' be the reafon why the inhabitants of hot climates live a (horter 

 "' term than thcfe who inhabit the temperate zones j" for, in faff, 



this 



