SLAVERY. 



285 



to me, until a slave of eight years of age was 

 reported to me to have the bobas; and shortly 

 afterwards an old man, the father of this child, 

 likewise fell sick. In the course of a short 

 time, notwithstanding every care was taken, 

 other persons were afflicted with the disease. 

 A surgeon was applied to, and he prescribed 

 mercury to all the patients. An infant of a few 

 months old, which afterwards caught the di- 

 sease, underwent the same treatment. The 

 children who had arrived at a certain age all 

 recovered, and until the period of my departure, 

 they had never experienced any return, nor had 

 felt any bad effects from it. The old man still 

 laboured under it, but was recovering. The 

 growth of the infant was stopped by the disease, 

 and very little hopes were entertained of saving 

 its life. 



This horrible disorder is contracted by inha- 

 biting the same room with the patient, and by 

 inoculation ; this is effected by means of a small 

 fly, from which every precaution is oftentimes of 

 no avail. Great numbers of the insects of this 

 species appear early in the morning ; but they 

 are not so much seen when the sun is powerful. 

 If one of them chances to settle upon the corner 

 of the eye or mouth, or upon the most trifling- 

 scratch, it is enough to inoculate the bobas, if 

 the insect comes from a person who labours 

 under the disease. The same person can only 



