Ch. VI. S O U T H A M E R I C A. 279 



of the city, which, by the filthinefs of the common 

 people at all hours, are every where full of ordure. 



Earthquakes cannol be accounted a lefs terrible 

 circumftance than any of the former and if not fo 

 frequent as in other cities of thefe parts, they are far 

 from being uncommon, and often very violent. While 

 we continued in this city and its jurifdidion, I parti- 

 cularly remember two, when feveral country-feats and 

 farm-houfes were thrown down, and the greater part 

 of the numerous inhabitants buried in ruins. 



It is doubtlefs to fome unknown quality of the 

 temperature of the air, that the city owes one re- 

 markable convenience, which cannot fail of greatly 

 recommending it; namely, being totally free from 

 mofchitos or other inleds of that kind, which almoft 

 render life a burthen in hot countries. They are not 

 known to the inhabitants ; even a flea is feldom feen 

 here ; nor are the people molefted with venomous 

 reptiles. In fhort, the only troubleibme infe6l is the 

 pique or nigua, whofe noxious efFeds have been al- 

 ready treated of. 



Though the plague or peililence, in its proper 

 fenle, be not known here, no inftance of its ravages 

 having appeared in any part of America, yet there are 

 fome diftempers which have many fymptoms of it,, 

 but concealed under the names of malignant fpotted 

 fevers and pleurifies ; and thefe generally fweep away 

 fuch prodigious numbers, that, when they prevail, 

 the city may with propriety be faid to be vifited with 

 a peftilential contagion. Another difeafe common 

 here is that called mal del valle, or vicho ; a dif- 

 temper fo general, that, at the firft attack of any ma- 

 lady, they miake ufe of medicines adapted to the cure 

 of it, from its ufually feizing a perfon two or three 

 days after a fever. But de Juffieu often obferved, 

 that the remedies v;ere generally adminiftered to per- 

 fons not at ail affcded by the dillempcr, which, in 

 his opinion, is a gangrene in the redum ; a diieaie 



T' 4. ' vefv 



