ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 455 



for above a fortnight, the inhabitants are in ^he utmoft confternation, and public prayers 

 are offered up for their return. On the other hand, when they continue any time 

 without intermiflion, the Hke fears return, and the churches are again crowded with 

 fupplicants for obtaining fine weather. For a long drought here is produdive of dan- 

 gerous diftempers ; and a continual rain, without any intervals of fun-lhine, deftroys the 

 fruits of the earth : thus the inhabitants are under a continual anxiety. Befides the 

 advantages of the rains for moderating the intenfe rays of the fun, they are alfo of the 

 greateft benefit in cleanfing the ftreets and fquares of the city, which by the filthinefs 

 of the common people at all hours, are every where full of ordure. 



Earthquakes cannot be accounted a lefs terrible circumftance than any of the former ; 

 and if not fo frequent as in other cities of thefe parts, they are far from being uncom- 

 mon, and often very violent. While we continued in this city and its jurifdidlion, I 

 particularly remember two, when feveral county-feats and farm-houfes were thrown 

 down, and the greater part of the numerous inhabitants buried in ruins. 



It is doubtlefs to fome unknown quality of the temperature of the air, that the city 

 owes one remarkable convenience, which cannot fail of greatly recommending it : 

 namely, being totally free from mofchitos or other infects of that kind, which almofb 

 render life a burthen in hot countries. They are not known to the inhabitants j even 

 a flea is feldom feen here ; nor are the people molefled with venomous reptiles. In 

 fhort, the only troublefome infeQ: is the pique or nigua, whofe noxious effects have been 

 already treated of. 



Though the plague or peflilence, in its proper fenfe, be not known here, no inftance 

 of its ravages having appeared in any part of America^ yet there are fome diftempers 

 which have many fymptoms of it, but concealed under the names of malignant fpotted 

 fevers and pleurifies ; and thefe generally fweep away fuch prodigious numbers, that, 

 when they prevail, the city may with propriety be faid to be vifited with a peftilential ^ 

 contagion. Another difeafe common here is that called mal del valle, or vicho ; a dif- ^^'3 

 temper fo general, that, at the firft attack of any malady, they make ufe of medicines 

 adapted to the cure of it, from its ufually feizing a perfon two or three days after a fever. 

 But M. de Juffieu often obferved, that the remedies were generally adminiftered to per- 

 fons not at all affetled by the diftemper, which, in his opinion, is a gangrene in the 

 redum ; a difeafe very common in that climate, and confequently at the firft attack all 

 means ftiould be ufed to prevent its progrefs. Perfons who labour under a flux are 

 moft liable to that malady ; but the inhabitants of this country being firmly per- 

 fuaded that there can be no diftemper that is not accompanied with the vicho, the cure 

 is never delayed. The operation muft be attended with no fmall pain, as a peffary, 

 compofed of gun-powder, Guinea-pepper, and a lemon peeled, is infmuated into the 

 anus, and changed two or three times a day, till the patient is judged to be out of 

 danger. 



The venereal difeafe is here fo common, that few perfons are free from it, though its 

 effedls are much more violent in fome than, in others ; and many are afflicted with it, 

 without any of its external fymptoms. Even little children, incapable by their age of 

 having contracted it adtively, have been known to be attacked in the fame manner 

 by it as perfons who have acquired it by their debauchery. Accordingly there is no 

 reafon for caution in concealing this diftemper, its commonnefs effacing the difgrace 

 that in other countries attends it. The principal caufe of its prevalence is, negligence 

 in the cure. For the climate favours the operations of the medicines, and the natural 

 temperature of the air checks the malignity of the virus more than in other countries. 

 And hence few are falivated for it, or will undergo the trouble of a radical cure. This 



difeafe 



