Book I. land of BARBADOS. 4t 
“ unequal ; its vafcular and glandulous Compages is inlarged; and a fcaly 
“ Subftance, with a fort of Chaps and Fiffures in the Interftices, appears 
“upon its Surface. Thefe feeming Scales do not dry up and fail of ; but 
“ are daily protruded forward, and ftretched in their Dimenfions, till the 
“* Leg is inlarged to an enormous.Bulk ; fo that in the Size, Shape, and 
all other external Appearance, it minutely reprefents the Leg of an 
‘* Elephant, from whence the Difeafe receives its Denomination.” 
But, notwithftanding that this fcaly Coat appears to be hard, callous, 
and infenfible ; yet if it be touched ever fo fuperficially with aLancet, the 
Blood will freely ouze out ; and, if the Epidermis, which affords this 
monf{trous Appearance, be pared off to the Thicknefs of the Scarfeskin 
in thofe Parts, an Infinity of Orifices of the Blood-veffels will prefent 
themfelves to the Eye, when affifted with a Microfcope. 
“ Though the Limb continues to proceed to this inordinate Magnitude, 
“ yet the Appetite of the Negro remains good, his Digeftion ftrong, and 
-“ his Secretions regular ; nor is he fenfible of any other Inconveniency, 
“¢ than the Burden of carrying fuch a Load of a Leg along with him.” 
In this Condition, fevera] have been known to live Twenty Years, and 
have performed chearfully all the Duties of their Servitude, which were 
~confiftent with fuch difproportionate Limbs. 
Amputation of the difeafed Leg hath been performed many times, but 
has always failed of a Cure ; for the Diftemper conftantly takes Poffef- 
fion of the remaining Leg. 
As for other cutaneous Diforders, we are not more affii@ed with them The Guiney 
than Europeans, unlefs fuch as are occafioned by the Guiney Worms and W°™* 
Ciegoes, called here Chiggers. 
The former are feldom or never known among the White Inhabitants ; 
nor often among our native Slaves 3 but chiefly among new Negroes 
brought hither from the Coafts of Guiney. 
Thefe Worms are generally bred in Ponds of ftagnant frefh Waters 3 
and it is fuppofed, that they enter oftener in by the Pores of the Skin, than 
by drinking the Water: For thofe who moft frequently bathe in fuch Ponds, 
are ofteneft troubled with them. They are exceeding long, in refpe& to 
their great Exility and Thinnefs ; and are eafily obferved, when fome of 
that Water is mingled in a Glafs with fome other more tranfparent Water. 
The firft Day or two they cannot be clearly feen, being as pellucid as 
the Water itfelf ; but foon afterwards they grow fo opaque as to be dif- 
cernible, even by the naked Eye. 
Dr. Gamble had one of thefe, which meafured an Ell long ; it exactly Theitshape, 
+efembled a waxed white Thread. 
They move very quick under the Skin, along the Membrana adipofa ; and 
‘what is one Day {een in the Breaft, or Belly, thall often, in a Day or two, 
be found in a diftant Part of the Body, perhaps the Thigh, the Leg, or 
under the Ham. 
a 
M However, 
