160 TRINIDAD. 



racter at the very first onset. Intermittent fever is often masked 

 the neuralgic form being the most frequent. The appearance 

 of pain sometimes very severe in a limb, or any other part of 

 the body, preceded or accompanied by cold hands and feet, or 

 even by regular ague, and followed by either a gentle or profuse 

 perspiration after three, six, twelve, or more hours' duration 

 and a complete remission of the predominant symptoms, are sure 

 indications of the nature of the complaint. Quinine is the surest, 

 if not the sole remedy. It has been said of verminous affections 

 that they are Proteus-like ; but remittent and intermittent fevers 

 are the real Protean malady. 



Dysentery. Next to fever, dysentery is the most prevalent 

 disease in Trinidad ; it is even endemic in a few localities which 

 are otherwise regarded as healthy. Every six or eight years, how- 

 ever, there are returns of epidemic dysentery. The disease com- 

 monly begins at the commencement of the wet season, viz., in July 

 and August, and lasts for several months ; so that atmospheric 

 moisture seems to have an undeniable influence on the production 

 of dysentery. 



It has also been remarked that, in those localities wherein 

 dysentery is endemic, there is always a coincidence between the 

 breaking out of the distemper, and the overflow of rivers, after 

 the first heavy showers. This is mainly apparent in our valleys 

 and such other districts as are covered with high woods. 



Dysentery may appear under four different forms, con- 

 stituting, as it were, four distinct species, and having different 

 seats: the mucous or gastric, in which the stomach, and the 

 bilious or hepatic, in which the liver, evidently participates ; the 

 inflammatory, which seems to attack the whole of the intestinal 

 tube ; and the putrid, or adynamic, known here by the name of 

 BicJio, which has its seat in the rectum and descending colon. Each 

 variety of this malady requires a different treatment : chronic 

 dysentery also is not unfrequent. 



Dysentery attacks all classes and ages ; the Europeans and the 

 foreign whites are, however, far less subject to it than the natives 

 and the coloured class. This may be attributed to the different 

 mode of living of the two classes. Europeans and other whites, 

 generally, enjoy more comforts, are better lodged and fed, and 

 more cleanly in their habits ; besides which, they are not so much 

 exposed as the coloured people. 



