176 On the Aborigines of Brazil. 



lera, of the yellow fever, of the frightful putrid fevers of the 

 west of Africa, or of the Vena medinensis. 



4. The disease introduced by Europeans, the small-pox, 

 causes the greatest mortality, and the sterility* inherent in 

 his race is increased by syphilis, which was originally un- 

 known to him. 



5. We may thence assume that the race of the red man is 

 naturally a very healthy one : (its longevity is well known,) 

 but this only as long as it is the exclusive possessor of its 

 own country, and not disturbed by European civilization. 



6. But, as things have changed since the arrival of the 

 Portuguese, a constantly increasing rate of mortality has been 

 observed. The only race of men, regarding which, one can 

 from preceding facts lay down a general prognosis, is the 

 American. In this prognosis, which pronounces the extinc- 

 tion of the red man, the aborigines of Brazil also share. 



This melancholy view of things, against which the feelings 

 of the philanthropist struggle, has but too much foundation 

 in the state of medicine among the red race, for when we 

 consider the matter a little more, it becomes quite plain, that 

 the savage is in no condition to discover for himself the 

 appropriate remedies for the physical evils from which he 

 suffers. Then again he is, from his social condition, quite 

 beyond the reach of any beneficial operation of the medi- 

 cal knowledge introduced from Europe. 



* Dr. Lallemant attributes this sterility to the mere phlegmatic cold and in- 

 different nature of the red man. He has lately written regarding the diseases of 

 the neighbourhood of Rio Janeiro, but we have not hitherto had an opportunity 

 of comparing his accounts with those of Von Martius.— Tr. 



(To be concluded.) 



