DISEASES. 
37T 
wounded, as they are unacquainted with any method of stopping 
the hsemorrage ; in fact they pay little attention to their wounded 
men ; if they are not able to travel, they are abandoned. One of 
the King's criers had his thigh dislocated at the hip joint with an 
anchylosis of the knee ; the limb was considerably longer than the 
other, and the accident must have occurred a long time ago, as he 
walks very well. 
During the time we remained in Coomassie, and from our first 
entrance into the Ashantee country, 1 was every day appHed to 
for advice and medicines by those who were afflicted with dis- 
eases, of which the munber was great, and in the capital more 
especially, from its very unhealthy situation, being entirely sur- 
rounded by an extensive tract of swampy ground, and the natives 
consequently very subject to dysentery and fever. On first enter- 
ing the country I was applied to by numbers of patients, many of 
them miserable objects, from the effects of the venereal disease : to 
as many of those as applied, during our halt in a town, I gave 
boxes of pills and strict directions for their use, and told them if 
they came to Coomassie during my residence there, I would do 
every thing in my power to cure them, Many availed themselves 
of my offer, and attended me on my arrival. To those who had 
ulcers or wounds, 1 applied the proper dressings, and left with 
them lint, adhesive plaister, and ointment. Most of them as a 
mark of their gratitude, sent presents of fowls, fruit, palm oil, 
wine, &c. to me after I had arrived in the capital. One man in 
Assiminia, who was nearly in the last stage of existence from a 
complication of disorders, originating from lues venerea, after I 
had seen him, sent every week to Coomassie for medicines, and 
completely recovered. Another in Sarrasoo who had the worst 
looking ulcers of the inferior extremities, that I have ever seen, 
did the same, and with the same success. A great many caboceers 
3 c 
