THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 4I 



ftant thirft, as the lymph, which coniinually oozes from their 

 wounds, probably demands to be replaced. It is averred by 

 the Abyflinians that it is not infectious. I have feen the 

 wives of thofe who were in a very inveterate ftage of this 

 illnefs, who had born them feveral children, who were yet 

 perfectly free and found from any contagion. Nay, I do not 

 remember to have feen children vifibly infected with this 

 difeafe at all ; though, I muft own, none of them had the 

 appearance of health. It is faid this difeafe, though furelv 

 born with the infant, does not become vifible till the ap- 

 proach to manhood, and fometimes it is faid to pafs by a 

 whole generation. 



The chief feat of this difeafe is from the bending of the 

 knee downwards to the ancle ; the leg is fwelled to a o- reat 

 degree, becoming one fize from bottom to top, and gather- 

 ed into circular wrinkles, like fmall hoops or plaits ; be- 

 tween every one of which there is an opening that feparates 

 it all round from the one above, and which' is all raw flefli, 

 or perfectly excoriated. From between thefe circular divi- 

 fions a great quantity of lymph conftantly oozes. The fwell- 

 ing of the leg reaches over the foot, fo as to leave about an 

 inch or little more of it feen. It mould feem that the black 

 colour of the fkin, the thicknefs of the leg, and its fhapelefs 

 form, and the rough tubercules, or cxcrefcences, very like 

 thofe feen upon the elephant, give the name to this difeafe, 

 and form a finking refemblance between the diftempered 

 legs of this unfortunate individual of the human fpecies, 

 and thofe of the noble quadruped the elephant, when in 

 full vigour. 



Vol.111. F , ^ 



