406 DISSERTATION ON THE YAWS. 



Prog?wsis. — When the yaws are on a person of sound con- 

 stitution, and when that person is properly clothed, fed, and 

 kept clean, there is but little danger. But where the patient 

 has been debilitated by preceding diseases, or other causes, 

 the event is very doubtful, and often fatal. This is particu- 

 larly the case where the yaws have been repelled, or mercury 

 given in the early stages of this disorder. 



Remote Causes. — Having formerly mentioned, that the 

 yaws, like small-pox, attacks a person only once in their lives, 

 I proceed to the remote causes. 



This disorder being so prevalent amongst the Negroes, 

 many people have entertained an opinion that the seeds of the 

 malady are lurlcing in their constitution, and break out at 

 some period without any exciting cause. This opinion, how- 

 ever, has no foundation in truth, as will be proved hereafter. 

 Nor is there any thing in the habits of Negroes that predisposes 

 them more to receive the infection of the yaws than in the 

 habit of Europeans. 



It has been supposed that white people in the West Indies, 

 and the Negro servants about their houses, are less suscepti- 

 ble of the yaws than field Negroes, who live more. on vegeta- 

 bles, grain, and farinaceous roots. This notion is equally 

 groundless : For, if such were exposed to the same causes, the 

 same effect would as readily take place in the one as in the 

 other. 



Before we quit this part of the subject, I must contradict 

 an assertion commonly made, and credited by many as an es- 

 tablished fact, and that is, that the diet of the Negroes, being 

 chiefly of vegetables and farinaceous roots, debilitates their bo- 

 dies and thins their blood. 



The Negroes in Jamaica use very few vegetables in their 

 food, and these are of the nutritive and demulcent kind, viz. 

 Hibiscus esculentus (okia), Arum csculentum (Indian kale), 

 Clcome penlaphylla (eayo calaloo),and various species of Am a" 



