206 CENTRAL AMERICA. 



or what the West Indians term Jigger. It 

 was originally imported into the towns near 

 the coast at the same time as the African 

 negroes, and from the same places ; but now 

 it attacks all races indiscriminately : it is very 

 like a diminutive flea, and burrows in the 

 flesh, but most commonly under the toe-nails. 

 If not taken out immediately with a needle 

 (in which the Indian women are very expert), 

 it digs itself a hole about the size of a pea 

 and spins its nest in it, which nest consists of 

 a finely-spun bag containing a quantity of small 

 eggs. If, at this stage the bag be not taken 

 out, the eggs are soon hatched, and the con- 

 sequences may be serious ; at the same time 

 care must be taken, when extracting it, not 

 to break the bag, as some eggs might remain 

 in the wound. It is usual to fill up the hole 

 with cigar ashes, but the Indians think it 

 dangerous to bathe for two or three days 

 afterwards, as they say it produces lockjaw ; 

 but when they are under the necessity of 

 crossing water and wetting their feet, they 

 fill up the hole with wax. 



Children are often crippled for life by their 

 mothers neglecting to examine them very 

 frequently. Dogs gnaw the nigua out from 

 their toes very cleverly ; but when once they 



