Wellington Philosophical Society. 435 
From a medical point of view the Maoris are a singularly uninteresting race. As far 
as is yet known, they could not boast of one single new disease, unless it were a form of 
leprosy called ngerengere, and even that can scarcely be called a special disease, for it, or 
some species near akin, is very common in Fiji and in Polynesia generally. This ngere- 
ngere was first accurately described by Dr. Thompson in an article which appeared many 
years ago in the “ British and Foreign Medico-Chirurgical Review.” It is a species of 
Elephantiasis grecorum. Ngerengere, or leprosy, was at one time frequent among the 
Maoris, probably being most frequent among the poorest tribes. As with leprosy every- 
where else in the world, it has almost disappeared before the march of civilization. Half- 
putrid eels and maize, and miserable fern-root and herbs and filth, all favoured its spread ; 
whereas good, well-cooked, nutritious diet, with cleaner habits, have largely caused it to 
disappear 
Maori lepers were strictly quarantined. 
The disease is now very rare; and any existing case will rapidly improve for a time 
under improved food and care. 
I have not heard that any European ever suffered from it. 
Asin all other things temporal and spiritual, we have given diseases to the Maoris 
and received nothing in return. To them we have given measles, scarlet fever, typhoid, 
small-pox, and many others, and probably, as time rolls on, we shall give them more. 
Maoris suffered from very few diseases, but those few were very rife. They had 
strange theories about diseases, attributing them as a rule to the action of evil spirits 
(atua). They thought that for every disease there was a special atua. Thus, Rongomai 
and Tuparitapua were gods of phthisis and atrophy of the legs and arms. Tonga was the 
god of headaches, and Hi-tangata god of the stomach; whilst Koro-kio-ewe presided over 
women in childbirth, and inflicted many evils. Hine-te-iwaiwa was the goddess of mid- 
wifery, according to another account. 
By some tribes lizards — were supposed to cause all diseases, and in the 
afflicted part a lizard was supposed to exist; thus, a pain in the chest was due to lizard, 
and so with pains in the head and a They believed that lizards actually existed 
in those organs and wilfully caused these evils. A little green lizard (Lacerta viridis) was 
held especially baneful. 
A similar notion prevails among the people of many savage and semi-civilized 
nations. 
The chief diseases from which the Maoris suffered were rheumatism in all its forms, 
consumption, and scrofula. Consumption was with them, as it is with us, the most 
frequent cause of death. This disease is especially disastrous to half-castes. In the 
Maoris phthisis ran its course exactly as it does with us, and varied in no way, except that 
the Maoris as a rule succumb very quickly, and seem to have very scant power of resisting 
its ravages. This, however, may be due to the fact that they have no idea of care or 
nursing. Consumption was very largely induced by the unhealthy lives led, by the hot 
steamy air of their whares, and by an utter disregard of the simplest conditions of 
hygiene. Hemoptysis was regarded as a sure sign of impending death. 
Scrofula was very common, as might have been expected, when we reflect how ill- 
cooked and innutritious was the diet of the Maoris, and how specially unsuitable it was for 
infants and young children. One of the consequences of this want of proper nourish- 
ment was seen in the frequency of cases of hoamphesk, due bid caries of the spine—often 
with cure by anchylosis at right angles. Colen usly accounts for the frequency 
of crooked spines by stating that it arises from the jaraai of the women, who carry- 
