34 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



was completed. Immediately when a naufea or averlion- 

 to eat, frequent fits of yawning, ftraitnefs about the eyes, and 

 an unufual, but not painful fenfation along the fpine, comes 

 on, no time is then to be loil ; fmall dofes of the bark muft 

 be frequently repeated, and perfect abltinence obferved, un- 

 l^fs from copious draughts of cold water. 



I never dared to venture, or feldom, upon the deluge of 

 water, but am convinced it is frequently of great ufe. The 

 fecond or third dofe of the bark, if any quantity is fwal- 

 lowed, never fails to purge; and, if this evacuation is copious, 

 the patient rarely dies, but, on the contrary, his recovery 

 is generally rapid. Moderate purging, then, is for the moil 

 part to be adopted ; and rice is a much better food than fruit. 



I know that all this is heterodox in Europe, and contrary 

 to the practice, becaufe it is contrary to fyltem. For my 

 own part, I am content to write faithfully what I carefully, 

 obferved, leaving every body afterwards to follow their 

 own way at their peril. 



Bark, I have been told by Spaniards who have been in 

 South America, purges always when taken in their fevers, 

 A different climate, different regimen, and different habit of 

 body or exercife, may furely fo far alter the operation of a 

 drug as to make it have a different effect in Africa from 

 what it has in Europe. Be that as it may, ftill I fay bark is 

 a purgative when it is fuccefsful in this fever; but bleeding, 

 at no ftage of this diltemper, is of any fervice ; and, indeed, if 

 attempted the fecond day, the lancet is feldom followed by 

 blood. Ipecacuanha both fatigues the patient and height- 

 ens the fever, and ib conducts the patient more fpeedily to his 



2 end. 



