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commiflion : I fay misfortune ; for fuch you will 
perhaps think it, when you have read this letter. 
It is now about 25 or 30 years fince a very parti- 
cular difeafe fhewed itfelf in many perfons in this 
ifland Grande Terre. Its beginning is imperceptible : 
there appear but a few livid- red fpots upon the fkins 
of the white people, and of a yellowifh red upon 
the blacks. Thefe fpots in the beginning are not 
accompanied with pain, or any other fymptom ; but 
nothing can take them away. The difeafe increafes 
infenfibly, and continues feveral years in fhewing it- 
felf more and more. Thefe fpots increafe, and ex- 
tend indifferently over the fkin of the whole body. 
Sometimes they are a little prominent, but flat. 
When the difeafe makes a progrefs, the upper part 
of the nofe fwells, the noftrils are enlarged, the nofe 
becomes foftened ; tuberofities appear upon the 
cheek-bones > the eyebrows are inflated ; the ears 
grow thick ; the ends of the fingers, and even the 
feet and toes, fwell ; the nails become fcaly; the 
joints of the feet and hands feparate and mortify : 
ulcers of a deep and of a dry nature are found in the 
palms of the hands and foies of the feet, which 
grow well, and return again. In fhort, when the 
difeafe is in its lafl ftage, the patient becomes fright- 
ful, and falls to pieces. All thefe fymptoms come 
on by very flow degrees, one after another, and fome- 
times require many years to fbew themfelves : the 
patient is fenfibie of no fharp pain ; but feels a kind 
of numbnefs in his hands and feet. Thefe people 
perform their natural functions all the while, eating 
and drinking as ufual : and when even the mortifi- 
cation has taken off the fingers and toes, the only ill 
confe- 
