OF THE ISLANDS NEAR SINGAPORE. 
581 
which, in the memory of the oldest inhabitant in the village, has not 
occasioned one death. Would I therefore be authorised in concluding 
that it is the cause of a fever endemic f of a mile distant, of so 
deadly a character as to carry off fth of those attacked, and change 
a pleasant, and to the eye a salubrious spot into a perfect charnel 
house, and that in spite of the aforesaid distance, and a hill which 
prevents all breezes which pass on the one, impinging on the other. 
Fully conceding the malarious character of fresh water marshes, 
which I have shewn to be sure and consistent generators of fever, 
the existence of this limited marsh would never account for the 
deadly character of Blakang Mati fever, and never could be offered 
as an explanation of the causes of that fever, from the impossibili¬ 
ties which exist to its influence extending so far. The only, and last 
explanation, that has been offered to account for the generation of 
this fever is, the decomposition of the pineapples, which are grown 
in great abundance on this island. This explanation has been given 
as the cause of this fever in an official report by one of the Honorable 
Company's medical officers, and as it is an opinion held by many 
others, it is therefore deserving of investigation. The island of Bla¬ 
kang Mati is one vast pinery, supplying the market of Singapore 
with this delightful and refreshing fruit; when ripe it passes soon in¬ 
to fermentation and emits a sharp, acid, and most unpleasant odour, 
creating a sensation of disgust and nausea, too frequently felt in 
Singapore town, from the great want of entire cleanliness. This has 
evidently originated the idea, that, if the refuse of a few can create 
such a nuisance, an island like Blakang Mati must certainly be un¬ 
healthy, where at least 200 acres are covered with the fruit. But 
on examining the island I found another instance of how plausible 
a theory may be, but when subjected to examination, how flimsy 
and faulty it may become. 
In the first place no decomposition like to what occurs in Singa¬ 
pore streets exists on the Island, as the natives cut the pines inva¬ 
riably before they are quite ripe, and those that are ripe, and unno¬ 
ticed by the cultivators, are food for the wild pigs that abound on 
the island. The leaves and stalk are most difficult of decomposition 
as I have seen from experience, having on a small piece or ground 
a number of wild pineapple plants, which I have been under the 
necessity of burning, as I find it almost impossible to get them to 
decompose sufficiently fast. In walking over the island amidst thou¬ 
sands of pineapples, you will notice very little vegetable mould, and 
