151 



of the thirty-ninth regiment, was deputed to 

 tliis of!ict\ A more jndicioufi selection could not 

 have been made, although it may be regretted 

 that his arrival was too late to observe its pro- 

 ^kmni^h Hie ^ikreitt mgfi»^ Ml he m- 

 de^tlgal)!^ devoted himself to procure such in- 

 formation as would plaee the nature of the disease 

 almost beyond a doul)t. Tin* rc^sult was a col- 

 lection of most interesting information upon its 

 progress, ciharact^r, ^Mmgk aev^. in- 



oibse^a^on and inquir}\ On my return to 

 Sydney, Dr. Mair kindly favoured me with a 

 copy of the report he made to the colonial go- 



of Mb remai^^ adod }mA d^YOtdl a ir&apl^ to 



the subject, regarding it as one interesting to 

 non-medical, as well as medical readers, as 

 the same disease, or at all events one very 

 closely allied to it^ has been, ^4 ^ 

 oftea 1% the cause of timch ^im&^ mi 

 suffering. 



As far bnck as the year 1789, says Dr. Mair 

 ill his report, an eruptive disorder, resembling 

 the small-pox, broke out among the aborigiues, 



tx^h&^mkm Ihe l}odi^ several of ttieiti Of 

 very advaiiced age, corresponding in appearance 



