584 
ON CORAL REEFS AS A CAUSE OF THE FEVER 
which I have access to, including the able B. and F. Medical Re¬ 
view from its commencement to its termination, and cannot find that 
Coral Reefs have ever been hinted at, as a cause of fever. I have 
therefore been most anxious to obtain sufficient proofs, before giving 
it to the public, for well I know that my profession is a jealous one 
of aught that is new, and views with suspicion what has been over¬ 
looked, and is for the first time brought to notice. It is now more 
than twelve months, since I was convinced of the truth of my theo¬ 
ry, and during these past twelve months, I have not concealed my 
ideas ; but to every medical man with whom l have come in contact, I 
have stated them and given my proof, begging him to furnish me if 
he could with any additional testimony or refutations. I have espe¬ 
cially directed the attention of the medical officers of Her Majesty’s 
Navy to the subject, as it is one of importance, especially to those 
who visit Borneo, as I am convinced many valuable lives would have 
been saved on board H. M. Ships “ Agincourt,” « Iris,” and “ Co¬ 
lumbine”, if this theory bad been known, and advantage taken of 
that knowledge in the selection of proper stations. 
On landing at Ayer Banddra on the island of Blakang Mat! on 
the 1st of June, 1847, with Mr. Logan, it so happened that it was 
low water , and as we stepped from the boat on shore, we could not 
but remark what an extensive coral reef was before us, and as we 
walked on it my attention w r as attracted to the delicate live coral 
which we crushed below our feet, and to the Zoophytes which covered 
other masses of coral, or over whose slimy surface we stept. Hav¬ 
ing reached the sandy beach 1 turned to look at the extent of the reef, 
and my sense of smell was assailed with a most disagreeable odour, 
when the thought struck me that as every inch of the mass before me 
w r as composed of living matter, peculiarly susceptible of decomposi¬ 
tion, why should this not be the cause of the fever which attacked the 
inhabitants of the houses to leeward of it? I examined all the na¬ 
tives of the houses, and found them, as I have written, troubled with 
fever. 1 examined all the locality, and the other parts of the island, 
hut, as I have shewn, without being able to find a satisfactory cause, and 
the causes that had been broached by other medical men, I found 
to have no effect in producing the awful mortality already describ¬ 
ed. I therefore came to the conclusion, from many reasons that 
rose up to me, as proofs, one after another, that wherever coral 
Reefs are exposed, fever, especially remittent fever, (Dimdm 
KdpiSlu,) will he endemic on that spot u Cceteris paribus, ” 
