DISEASES. 159 







the west, which may be said to be epidemic in some of the above- 

 mentioned places visits our shores only at long intervals, and 

 with little effect. The mortality from that cause has been par- 

 ticularly insignificant among seamen. The most frequent types 

 of remittent fevers are the bilious, double quotidian, and double 

 tertian, which latter often terminates in the intermittent. 



The most common types of intermittent fevers are, the quoti- 

 dian, double tertian, and tertian : the quartan is of very rare occur- 

 rence, but the octan and the quinquedecimal forms are rather fre- 

 quent. The return of the latter types coinciding generally with 

 certain changes of the moon, many have been induced to ascribe 

 an influence to that planet as connected with the return of this 

 fever. 



Periodical fevers, either remittent or intermittent, are in 

 certain places endemic throughout the whole year; regular 

 epidemical recrudescences, however, occur at certain periods 

 generally at a change of season. The localities most liable to 

 fever are those skirting the sea, or lying to the leeward of swamps; 

 the interior districts may be said to enjoy comparative immunity 

 from periodical fevers, and the occasional cases which there occur 

 may, in general, be traced to some direct cause. Though the 

 harbour of Port of Spain is to the leeward of the great Caroni 

 swamp, the shipping, nevertheless, is almost exempt from fever ; 

 this is attributable to the fact, that no barrier exists to leeward in 

 the shape of land, either level or elevated ; and the effluvia are 

 thus carried away several miles westward before any such obstruc- 

 tion intervenes. 



Individuals inhabiting a salubrious locality are almost cer- 

 tainly attacked with remittent fever by resorting, even for a short 

 period, to a swampy spot ; should they stay there a few days only, 

 fever will often declare itself even after a return to their former 

 place of residence. It then, generally, terminates in the octan or 

 quinquedecimal form, and may last for months ; a change of air 

 and sea-bathing are, sometimes, the only remedies. 



Persons living in marshy districts are very liable to an attack 

 of remittent fever by removal to a healthier locality. Intermittent, 

 but remittent fevers particularly, when not attended to in time, or 

 not properly treated, may end in malignant fever, generally in the 

 apoplectic or algid form ; this commonly happens from the third to 

 the fifth day ; it sometimes, however, exhibits the malignant cha- 



