40 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
Some say this singular complaint, which was un¬ 
known to their ancestors, has only prevailed since 
they have been visited by foreign shipping. It 
does not prevail among the inhabitants of the sur¬ 
rounding islands ; but whether it be of recent 
origin or not, in Tahiti it is very affecting to wit¬ 
ness the numbers that have suffered; and we 
cannot but hope that as industry and civilization 
advance, and their mode of living improves, it will 
in an equal ratio disappear from among them. 
Blindness is frequently induced by the same 
disease that precedes the spinal curvature. The 
condition of the blind, when suffered to live, must, 
under the reign of idolatry, have been truly 
lamentable—they were generally objects of deri¬ 
sion and neglect, if not of wanton cruelty. 
Insanity prevailed in a slight degree, but indi¬ 
viduals under its influence met with a very different 
kind of treatment. They were supposed to be 
inspired or possessed by some god, who, the 
natives imagined, had entered every one suffering 
under mental aberrations. On this account no 
control was exercised, but the highest respect was 
shewn them. They were, however, generally 
avoided, and their actions were considered as the 
deeds of the god, rather than the man. Under 
these circumstances, when the poor wretch became 
his own destroyer, it was not regarded as an event 
to be deplored. Deafness was sometimes expe¬ 
rienced ; and there are a few persons in the islands 
who can neither speak nor hear distinctly. 
In their application to particular diseases, the 
priests manifested considerable acquaintance with 
the medicinal properties of the herbs, and their 
adaptation to the complaint, to relieve which they 
were employed ; but their practice must have been 
