570 JAMAICA. 



niaica, that it went by the name of the country difeafe ; it drew its 

 origin from the pradice of inebriating with raw rum, which in 

 thofe days was almofl the only fpirituous liquor the inhabitants 

 were able to procure. It is now grown uncommon ; the inhabi- 

 tants are not only more temperate, but provide themfelves with 

 Madeira wine, and a variety of other vinous liquors; drink lefs 

 rum, and more diluted; perhaps too they are much improved in 

 the art of diftillation, and have produced fome amendment in point 

 of quality. 



One of the beft of all drinks for this climate is good water, mixed 

 with a moderate quantity of found v/ine, as I have had before occa- 

 lion to remark; but as fome cautions are necefiary to diredl the 

 choice of fuch water as is bed: accommodated to health and di- 

 geftion ; or to inflrudl the means of purifying and corredting it, 

 when impregnated with noxious mineral or other particles ; I fliall 

 confider them in a feparate fedion. 



WATER. 



manner It is that it fpoils the ftomach and bowels, the liver and lungs, and the whole body, of 

 thofe unhappy perfons. Their ftomachs are contraded into half the common natural fize, and 

 hardened like leather that has been held to the fire ; the confequence ot which is a lofs ot appe- 

 tite, and a walliny confumption. 



The rage oi mankind is fuch for thefe liquors, that it is almofl dangerous to fay any thing in 

 their behalf, left it Ihould be miftaken for an encouragement to pcrfevere ; and indeed it avails 

 but little to preach up moderation in the ufe of them, to thofe who will fet no bounds to their 

 foMifh habits from any fenfe of trheir ill confequence to health ; fuch beads mull be retrained 

 by nieer tovce and authority, and debarred from the means of procuring fo much as may do 

 them injury, for they cannot or will not judge for themfelves within the line of common 

 prudence. 



It appeared from adjniral Knowks's orders, when he commanded a fleet at Bojlon, that his nieii 

 got drunk with New-England rum at the rate of a thmfaiui in a day; and that 1400 New-England 

 men were killed by it in two months ; and in New Jerfey, where it is fold very cheap, tlie people 

 are fo attached to ii, that in harvell-time they make it their bargain to have eveiy man a//«/ a day, 

 befides wages. 



Thofe commanders therefore cannot be too much applauded, who have the prudence and 

 humanity to oblige their men to drink fpirits largely diluted with water; which, as I have before 

 taken notice, was pradifed with the happieft etleft by admiral Vernon. Captain Ellis attributed 

 to the fame wife precaution, the uncommon fuccefs he had in bringing home, in the- years 1753 

 and 1 755, all his white men, which were thirty- four, and thirt)-.fix in health, from a Griiney voyage 

 cf fifteen months. Hales on Ventilators, 



The lame precaution fliould be ufed by the commanders of the regular troops, and the overfeers 

 of plantations in Jamaica. Nothing can more plainly evince the fatal effedfs of thefe excefles, 

 than the general apjjearance and untimely end of nioft of the white men and Negroes emplo3ed 

 ill the dillilling-houfes, who, as they can fupply themfelves freely and without reftraint, fo they 

 fivill immoderate quantities of frelh dilljlled mm, piping hot from the worm j for they cannot 



fo 



