The Aborigines of Brazil. 165 



used to fly in despair to the woods, after which I never 

 could get further accounts of them. The Indians themselves 

 believe universally that syphilis was introduced by the 

 Europeans. It is unknown among communities which have 

 not had intercourse with the Brazilians. Nevertheless I do 

 not declare decidedly for the opinion, that syphilis is a 

 disease of the old world. 



The Indian suffers little from other diseases, which are 

 especially connected with the assimilative and plastic pro- 

 cesses. I have indeed observed a few cases of lymphatic 

 swellings in the arm and knee joints, and also ankylosis of 

 the lower extremities in a couple of old Indians, but it was 

 the result of injuries not of constitutional disease. 

 Diseases of the Bones. 



The bony framework of the Indian is slow in attaining its 

 full strength and firmness. It is known, as Herodotus re- 

 marked, that the bones of the head of negroes are harder 

 than those of white men, and the same is reported by 

 Spanish writers of the Americans. And not only the 

 first conquerors, but later observers have remarked that 

 the bones of the skulls of Americans are of uncommon 

 thickness, and resist the blows of Europeans better than 

 the skulls of their own race do. But there can be no doubt 

 that the bones of the pelvis and of the skull are exceedingly 

 firmly knit together, and attain an unusual thickness ; and 

 in church-yards and charnels the bones of Indians may thence 

 be distinguished from those of Europeans. The develop- 

 ment of the teeth is also strong. Dentition is late in 

 commencing, and slow in its progress. The second set of 

 teeth are distinguished by the absence of that transparent 

 milk-white colour, which is so commonly found among Euro- 

 peans, especially in northern lands ; they are rather of a 

 yellowish-white shade, and little transparent; the enamel 

 lasts long, and the old men generally lose their teeth by 

 their gradually falling out, and seldom from partial decay : 



