8.12 JAMAICA. 



experiments, their Wronger infufions have been found to recover 

 from a flate of abfolute putridity, that feme trials are not made, 

 how far perfons in the latter ftage of putrid and malignant fevers, 

 when livid ^^/6'<:/v(^ make their appearance, when the blood is nearly 

 diflblved, and the difeafe feems defperate, might not be recoverable, 

 by being plunged into a warm bath made with bark decodtions ; 

 the finer virtues of the bark, abforbed into all the pores fpread over 

 the furfice of the body, muft (it is reafonable to imagine) have an 

 immediate effedl upon the fibres, in fome meafure reftore their tone 

 and fpringynefs, and by their antifeptic quality re-unite the glo- 

 bules of the blood, and correft their difpofition to putrefcency. I 

 am perfuaded, from more than one obfervation, that the Jefuits bark 

 may be adminiftered to infants in this manner when they are inca- 

 pable of taking it by the mouth, and with the happieft effedls. 

 Such experiments are deemed bold, becaufe they are out of the com- 

 mon track ; but furely what is called a defperate cafe would always 

 juftify the attempt, and efpecially when it is at leaft probable that 

 it may fucceed. 



The quantity of fluid which may be carried into the human bod)r 

 by abforption, in a bath is amazing ; and upon this principle the 

 ingenious Dr. Hales fuggefts a means by v/hich perfons at fea, when 

 ready to perlHi with thirft from want of frefh water, may obtain a 

 recruit ; which is, by immerfing their naked bodies frequently in a 

 tub of fea-water; they will imbibe the water at every pore freed 

 of its fait, which is too large to enter with it, and remains condenfed 

 upon the furface of their fkin[rt]. But in the cafe of the bark de— 

 codion, much of its antifeptic principles are fucked in with the 

 water. 



n A (Mimofa i. Br. 2Cr. 



17 2, POPONAX or ACACEE. < j ■ a ■ ci r^ . ^ 



' -^ \Acacia Americana, bh. Cat. p. 152^-. 



It is faid, a certain perfon brought the feed of it to Jamaica and^ 

 planted it, affirming that if he lived to fee it grow, he fliould get, 

 an eftate by it; but by what means, remains a myftery. It was, 

 certainly, the word, evil he could have introduced; as it became- 



[a] When Coiumbus difpatched nn exprefs from this ifland to the commander at HifpanioLij . 

 the Inilians who vveie employed in navigating the- caiioc, pUnigcd thcinftlvcs into the lea every 

 now and then, when almoll fpcnt with the tati;uic ot rowing, and parched with heat and thlrll ; 

 for they had iound by experience^ that . this piactic? revived their fpirits, and enabled them to 

 rciiew tlicii labour. 



propa- .. 



