INTRODUCTION. xlv 



nights so pleasant, that we feel no inconvenience from our 

 bivouac in the open air." The fever appeared moreover 

 in some degree contagious, as all the attendants on the 

 sick were attacked, so that before they got out of the 

 river it had pervaded nearly the whole crew, and extended 

 to that of the transport ; Mr. M^ Kcrrow was himself 

 last of all attacked after leaving the coast, but he con- 

 sidered mental anxiety and disturbed rest as the sole 

 causes. From the general symptoms that shewed them- 

 selves in most of the cases, the fever would seem to be 

 closely allied to the yellow fever of the West Indies, 

 as indicated by " the violent affection of the head, the 

 suffused eye, oppressi'^n at the prsecordia, great prostra- 

 tion and anxious timidity at the commencement, the yel- 

 low suffusion and grumous vomiting, with tiie indifference 

 and apparent resignation, at the latter siage of the dis- 

 ease.'" The most prominent features of the disease are 

 thus described by Mr. M^ Kerrow. 



" The fever, as I observed it in those who were attacked 

 on board, was generally ushered in by cold rigors, succeed- 

 ed by severe headache, chiefly confined to the temples and 

 across the forehead, in some cases, pain of the back and 

 lower extremities, great oppression at the pra^cordia, and 

 bilious vomiting, which in many cases proved extremely 

 distressing ; but in general, where the headache was very 

 severe, the gastric symptoms were milder, and vice versa, 

 though in some, both existed in a violent degree. Great 

 anxiety and prostration of strength, the eyes in general 

 watery, though in some the tunica conjunctiva was of a 

 pearly lustre ; the tongue at first white and smooth, having 

 a tremulous motion when put out, and shortly becoming 



