6« A VOYAGE TO Book I. 



away all the roots, particularly not to leave the princi- 

 pal nigua •, as before the wound could be healed, there 

 would be a new brood, further within the fiefh ; and 

 confequently the cure much more difficult and pain- 

 ful. 



The cavity left, by the removal of the nidus, muft 

 be immediately filled either with tobacco alhes, chew- 

 ed tobacco, or fnufF ; and, in hot countries, as Car- 

 thagena, great care muft be taken not to wet the foot 

 •for the firil two days, as convulfions would enfue; a 

 diftemper feldom got over ; this confequence has pof- 

 fibly been obferved in fome, and from thence confi- 

 dered as general *. 



The firlt entrance of this infedt is attended with no 

 fenfible pain ; but, the next day, it brings on a fiery 

 itching, extremely painful, but more fo in fome parts 

 than in others. This is the cafe in extra6ting it, when 

 the infe(5t gets between the nails and the fiefh, or at the 

 extremity or the toes. In the fole of the foot, and 

 other parts v;here the ficin is callous, they caufe little 

 or no pain. 



This infe6l Pnev/s an implacable hatred to fome ani- 

 mals, particularly the hog ; which it preys on with 

 fuch voracity, that when their feet come to be fcald- 

 ed, after being killed, they are found full of cavities 

 m.ade by this corroding infefl. 



Minute as this creature is^ there are two kinds of 

 it one venomous, and the other not. The latter 

 perfedtiy refembles the fiea in colour, and gives a 

 Vi^hitenefs to the membrane v/here it depofits its eggs. 

 This caufes no pain, but v/hat is common in fuch 

 cafes. The former is yellowifii, its nidus of an afli- 

 colour, and its effecls more extraordinary ; as, when 

 lodged at the extremity of the toes, it violently in- 



* There is no neceffity for this precaution, as is well known 

 to the honeft tar. The tobacco afhes, &c. intirely deftroy the 

 knits or ovaria, if any be left. A. 



flames 



