40 
~The Natural Hiftory of the Book IL 
Among the ‘Fews, the Law concerning Leprofy was fo fey ove ved, 
that they depofed Uzziah, tho’ a Prince, and thruft him out of the ‘Tem- 
ple, and confined him to a feparate Apartment during Life. 1 a 
We cannot trace this Diftemper up to its Origin, as far as it relates to 
the Weft-India Wands ; but its firft Appearance here was about. Sixty 
The Lepro- 
fy propagat- 
ed chiefly in 
the Male 
Line, 
Its Sym- 
ptoms, 
Years ago. It hath fpread very much within thefe Twenty Years, and 
more lately among White Inhabitants, as well as Black. Children have 
teen often feized with it, without any known Caufe, either in themfelves, 
or their Parents : However, it is, in general, thought to be hereditary, at 
leaft, in the Male Line ; which the following Inftance will, in fome mea- 
fure, evince. — ; Meth ‘ 
_ A certain Negro Woman, in S¢. Fames’s Parifh, cohabiting with a 
leprous Negro Man, had Two Children by him, both leprous, though the 
herfelf did not receive the Infe@ion. After fome Years fhe turned him 
off, and cohabited with another Black, who was free from this Diforder ; 
by him likewife fhe had Children, but neither of them in the leaft infe@- 
ed with the Leprofy. After a Quarrel with this laft pretended Husband, 
fhe returned to her former leprous Husband, and had this Second time 
by him feveral Children; who, as they grew up, proved leprous alfo, tho’ 
the herfelf received not the Infection this time. \@ 
From hence we may perhaps learn to know how emphatically, and 
with what great Propriety of Expreflion, the infpired Prophet paffed Sen- 
tence upon Gehaxi, faying, The Lepro/y of Naaman the Syrian /hall cleave 
_ to thee, and thy Seed for ever. 
The firft Symptom of this loathfome Difeafe, in this Part of the World, 
“is a permanent Swelling on the Tips of the Ears, and the Falling off of 
the Hairs of the Eye-brows; then the Face appears unctuous, fhining, 
and full of protuberant fuperficial Spots of a brown Copper Colour ; the 
Lips and Nofe generally much fwelled, the Fingers and Toes diftorted, 
and at laft ulcerated ; the Infeéion creeping from Joint to Joint, till it 
hath corroded all the Fingers and Toes.  ‘Thefe Ulcers never kindly di- 
* geft; however, there iffues from them a thin corroding Ichor. 
The Ele- 
phantiafis. 
Its Sym- 
ptoms. 
Many are the miferable Objects, that are daily feen aflied with, and 
labouring under, this great Misfortune. 
The Elephantiafis is likewife a Difeafe very common among the Blacks 
and -hitherto incurable. i ; 
The Seat of this Diftemper is the Legs and Feet. It happens moft 
commonly after long Illneffes, efpecially fevere acute Fevers. or long In- 
termittents, or other tedious Diftempers, or Surfeits deeded fs t 
violent Exercife, ; : Ye 
, In us Beginning the Patient appears cache@ical 
foon after the vitiated Humours fubfide enerally in ace ig 
both Legs and Feet: Thefe become dintheds andehae hae aha 
with varicofe Swellings, which are very apparent, from the Knees i i h 
Extremities of the Toes; “then the Skin begins to grow heen 
G unequal ; 
and emaciated, and 
