ON THE MEDICAL TOPOGRAPHY OF SINGAPORE. 
4 Jo 
the diseases that afflict them are the result of their imprudence, or 
errors in living; highly seasoned dishes, meats of various kinds, but 
little vegetables, and with the exception of the morning, a total ab¬ 
stinence from water, and a strict adherence to Wine, Beer, and Spi¬ 
rits, and that too in a latitude so obnoxious to inflammatory complaints, 
engender 70 per cent of the diseases that afflict us here ; indeed it has 
long been a matter of wonder to me how my fellow countrjonen retain 
their health in spite of all their efforts to destroy it. It speaks volumes 
for the climate. During 8 years practice in this island I have had more 
deaths among European patients from inflammation of the brain and its 
membranes than from all the other diseases that flesh is heir to. The 
next class of fatal diseases are inflammation of the liver and intes¬ 
tines, the latter of much the more frequent occurrence. Of Febrile di¬ 
seases, Intermittent fever has been of late years more prevalent, since 
the custom has been commenced of living in the country. Remit¬ 
tent fever as indigenous to the island, has only attacked to my know¬ 
ledge 4 Europeans. The 1 st was a Constable, who, some years ago, 
while in the jungle making a census of the people, was attacked and 
died. I attended him and found his case in all particulars identical 
with the Java or Batavia fever, or Dumm&m Capi&Uu of the Malays. 
The 2d. case was Mr. C-who, after his return from Europe, 
made a very fatiguing excursion into the jungle, was attacked with 
the same fever, and though every exertion to save him was used by 
Dr Oxley, yet he succumbed to the disease. Having been called in 
to this case I found it exactly the same with the preceding, but with 
more liver derangement. The 3d. case was another Constable, at¬ 
tended by Dr. Traill, who received the miasmatic poison in the jun¬ 
gle and died. The 4tli. and only case of recovery was Mr. D. 
who, living at the very base of a marsh once drained and rendered 
healthy, but afterwards the drain having been allowed to become ob¬ 
structed, the marsh was brought back to its former state, was attack¬ 
ed with symptoms of remittent fever, with great cerebral excitement. 
I had him removed from his house and brought into town, and by 
vigorous treatment and a powerful constitution, he recovered, the on¬ 
ly one of the four that did. 
