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[Historiae naturalis et medicae Indiae Occidentalis]
Liber secundus
De natura et cura morborum in India Occidentali, imprimis vero in Brasilia familiarium.
Introductio.
Sed caeteris facile palmam praeripiunt celebres illae radices Ipecacuanhae, in tractatu simplicium delineatae.
Ad has primum refugium capiunt omnes pariter Incolae, utpote tutissimas ad exturbandum sive assumtum venenum, sive cacochymicam saburram circa praecordia haerentem.
Prae caeteris autem revulsionis gratia exhibentur contra fluxus ventris, nimium in Indiis familiares.
Pluribus encomiis hanc eximiam Panaceam extollerem; sed vereor ne Satyricus quispiam id de mea Ipecacuanha, quod tempore Catonis de Brassica nimium laudata dixit: Brassica Dia Catonis.
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Second book.
on the nature and treatment of the diseases which occur most frequently in the West Indies, and especially in Brazil.
Introduction.
But all other remedies are surpassed by the renowned roots of the Ipecacuanha, described in my treatise on officinal herbs.
The natives resort first of all to these roots as to the most reliable remedy, not only suitable to expel swallowed poisons, but also tainted matter that has accumulated in the gastric region.
Principally they use these roots as a derivative remedy against diarrhoea, which is only too frequent in the Indies.
I might go on commending this excellent panacea, but I fear that a satirist would be tempted to make a similar remark about my Ipecacuanha as in the days of Cato was directed at the cabbage, too much praised by him: Cabbage is Cato's goddess.
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Caput IX. De Ventris fluxibus.
Viscera naturalia oppilata, ac toties ab humoribus qualitate et quantitate peccantibus lacessita, tandem exonerationem moliuntur. Et tunc quidem fluxus varii, pro diversitate partis affectae et naturae humoris vel bene vel male morati, sequuntur. Unde vel critici, vel symptomatici judicantur. Sicut enim ex cruditate ventriculi, et chylificationis frustratione, symptoma Lienteriae se prodit, et fluxum hepaticum laesa hepatis substantia et venarum mesaraicarum regurgitatio profert.
Praeterea sicut intestinorum eorumque venarum erosio, ulcus dysentericum, ita ani exesio inflammationem et putredinem causatur, quae Bicho Lusitanis dicitur.
Adhaec orgasmus acerrimi humoris ex aëre et fructibus calidis et humidis prognatus, choleram, multasque colicas passiones producit.
Horum omnium proximae et immediatae causae impeditae transpirationes vel obstructiones non sunt; sed illorum potissimum qui diarrhoeae et fluxus alvi vocantur. Sin vero ab aliqua acrimonia et malignitate materiae morbificae, vel atonia partium, incidant tales, qui Dysenteriae, Fluxus hepatici vel Cholerae appellantur, symptomatici et saepe lethales habentur.
Diarrhoea simplex, vel ex arte, vel per se facile et cito curationem recipit; sin minus, in pejores fluxus degenerat, qui vel ex calida aut frigida materia oriuntur.
Qui ex frigida, album alvi profluvium sine febre vocatur, (excipitur autem ille quem Galenus ab adipe, a calore igneo liquefacto, proficisci testatur) quando nimirum crudus ac pituitosus humor
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Chapter IX. On Diarrhoea.
When the intestines are constipated and have been irritated many times by fluids, which are abnormal both as to quantity and composition, this finally leads to a bowel movement. Various kinds of diarrhoea may follow, either benignant or malignant, depending on the part of the intestine affected and the composition of the morbific humour. Hence it is, that the diarrhoea is considered critical or symptomatical. So, for instance, an overloaded stomach or the insufficient production of chyle, may cause lientery, whereas an impaired function of the liver and stasis in the mesenterical veins is followed by a liver flux.
Moreover, as the erosion of the intestine and its veins causes a dysenteric ulcer, so the destruction of the anus results in inflammation and putrefaction, which is called Bicho by the Portuguese.
Besides, if the intestines are filled with that very acrid fluid, that proceeds from the air and from juicy fruits, this may result in the vomiting of bile and colic.
The immediate cause of all this, is not insufficient perspiration or obstructions but chiefly diarrhoea. But if through the acridity and the malignancy of the pathogenic material or through relaxation of the affected parts such illnesses occur, which are called dysentery, liver flux or cholera, they are considered to be symptomatical and often letal.
Simple diarrhoea is cured easyly and quickly, either spontaneously or by means of a remedy: if on the other hand it fails to respond to treatment, it changes into a more malignant diarrhoea, arising from warm or cold obstructing matter.
Diarrhoea resulting from the cold, is called white diarrhoea, without fever (except the one, which Galenus ascribes to a melting of the fat through feverheat); indeed, in this case, the raw and mucous
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perpetuo delabitur, aegramque magno dolore paulatim languescere facit.
Atque hic quidem fluxus omnem promiscue aetatem, hyberno potius quam aestivo tempore infestans, ad multos saepe menses, nonnunquam ad annos durat. Tametsi sine febre minusque lethalis sit quam caeteri, non inter eos censeri debet tamen, quem Hipp. in Praedict. 1. 2. f. 2. mitem et parum durabilem esse tradit;
quod hic diuturnus et difficilis admodum deprehendatur; cum huius mali causa sit cruditas pituitosa redundans ex frigore, quae transpirationem et circulationem impediat, collecta, et a praecipuis corporis partibus ad intestina abeat.
Curatio primo a clysteribus abstergentibus qui mel silvestre imprimis recipiant, incipit. Interim corpus syrupis aliquandiu similibus praeparatur. Dehinc ad radicem Ipecacuánha, tanquam ad sacram anchoram, confugiendum, qua nullum praestantius aut tutius, cum in hoc, tum in plerisque aliis, cum, vel sine sanguine, fluxibus compescendis, natura excogitavit remedium. Quippe praeterquam quod tuto et efficaciter tenacissimos quosque humores per ipsam alvum, saepissime autem per vomitum ejiciat, et a parte affecta derivet, vim quoque astrictivam post se relinquit.
Non enim vomitus solum sponte superveniens, ut ait Hipp. Aph. 15. 1. 6. sed et arte concitatus, sub eodem Aphorismo comprehendi potest.
Illud vero modo perficitur.
Drachmae duae radicis Ipecacuánha in ǯ iiij liquoris appropriati coctae, vel per noctem maceratae, cujus infusum cum vel sine oxymelis ǯ j exhibetur.
Postridie semel atque iterum pro re nata, secunda imo tertia ejus decoctio repetenda; tam quod aegri debiliores eam facilius ferant; quam quod astrictoria ejus vis tunc magis efficax appareat.
Caeterum nuces Munduy-guaçú sive vomicae (quibus vulgus imperitum non tam utitur quam abutitur, cum vehementer per vomitum et secessum exturbent) si ex praescripto exhibeantur, haud exiguum commodum praestant.
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fluids (humours) are voided continuously and the patients waste away gradually, suffering great pain.
This diarrhoea indiscriminately affecting persons of every age, preferably during winter, often persists for many months, even years sometimes. Although not accompanied by fever and less perilous than the other forms, still one is not allowed, it seems to me, to class it among those of which Hippocrates in Praedict. 1. 2. f. 2 informs us, that they are benignant and of short duration.
On the contrary we observe, that this illness has a protracted course and is rather serious, as it results from an agglomerating abundance of raw, mucous humours, caused by the cold, impeding the perspiration and the circulation of the blood and, originating from the principal parts of the body, assembles in the intestine.
The cure must be started by purgative enemas to which wild honey is preferably added. In the meantime the body should be prepared with syrups of similar composition. After that, Ipecacuanha should be resorted to, as a last anchorage of hope, a sovereign and safe remedy to control this and most of the other forms of diarrhoea, with or without the loss of blood, which no other remedy provided by nature can excel. Not only it drives out safely all the obstinately clogging humours with the feces and sometimes ejects them by stimulating to vomit, thereby diverting them from the affected part, but after that it also has astringent properties.
For not solely the spontaneous vomiting, but also, as Hippocrates observes, that which is provoked artificially can be included in the same aphorism.
It should be prepared in the following way.
Two drams of the root of Ipecacuanha, boiled in 4 ounces of appropriate fluid or soaked during one night, from this an infusion is made, with or without the addition of one ounce of oxymel.
The next day the boiling has to be repeated once or twice, according to circumstances, so that it has to be done two or three times in all. Weak patients take this more easily and also this way of preparation heightens the astringent activity of the remedy.
Besides, the Munday-guaçú or emetic nuts (which ignorant people not so much use as abuse, because by vomiting and bowel movements, they purge violently) are of no small use, if applied according to the following prescription.
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Rec. nucleos sex vel septem; ablata tam interiori quam exteriori tunica, conterantur amygdalarum instar pro emulsione, addito momento sacchari et fol. sen. 3j vel 3j ß seminis anisi in pulverem trita misceantur, fiatque pastillus in furno siccandus. Sic nuces Andá, quarum nuclei, etiam citra ullam praeparationem, dignitate illis non cedunt.
Syrupus itidem Tabaci optime conducit, iis imprimis quibus humores tenaces absque multo calore peccant. Dein ol. de Copaiba guttae aliquot saccharo dissolutae, ori ex ovo sorbili, sive ano per clysterem immittuntur.
Quod si remedia haec enarrata, forte non in promptu sint, eorum locum Mechoacanna, vel pugillus seminis Ricini Americani in spiritu vini macerati, supplere solent; hoc siquidem humorem vitiosum ac redundantem fortius, illud vero benignius educit.
Non parum quoque hoc morbo exhaustos reficit decoctum ligni Iacarandá, et Sassafras indigena, quod evacuata materia morbifica tonum restituat visceribus languentibus;
comitante diaeta facilis digestionis et paulo astringentis.
Emplastrum super ventriculo imponatur ex Gummi Içicaríiba, balsamo de Cabureiba et Copaiba, vel ex pasta de Tipioca, vino de Acaju, pulpa prunorum Araça flore Nhambu, atque ovorum vitellis.
Adhaec tosta potius quam liquida aut frixa alimenta eligantur, idque saepe et parum.
Vino indantur guttulae aliquot olei cort. arant. praecipue tum, cum ventris cruciatus instar colici adsit, quem vesparum quoque Brasiliensium nidus ex vino potus, vel ventri impositus, clementer mitigat.
Idem feliciter praestant herbae castae in aceto frixae.
Quando necessitas ad magis corroborantia et astringentia compellit, his et similibus remediis nativis, utendum. Summitates fructuum Bacóba aut Banána semitosta aut arefacta ex vino de Acaju et immaturo pomo Ianipába.
Testae testudinis fluviatilis tostae rasuram, in hoc fluxus genere, Barbari propinant, quod valida astringant.
Sicut et jecur capreae tostum, et castanea arboris Cedri Brasiliensis.
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Rec. 6 or 7 nuts, without inner and outer rind. They are ground, precisely as for almondmilk, a little sugar is added and this is mixed with 1 dram of senna leaves or 1½ drams of aniseed (powdered). A pill is made of this and must be dried in an oven. Also Andá nuts should be mentioned, of which the kernels, even without any preparation, are no less active.
Syrup of tobacco is exceptionally useful, especially in those cases where the viscous humours are at fault, without there being a high fever. Then, a few drops of Copaiba oil, in which a little sugar is dissolved are consumed with an egg or administered as a clyster.
But if the above mentioned remedies are perhaps not on hand, the Mechoacanna or a handful of seed of the American Ricinus, soaked in wine a most of the times, give satisfactory results; the latter one drives out the bad and abundant humours more forcibly, the first one on the contrary unfolds a mild purging activity.
A decoction of Iacarandá wood, and the native Sassafras, has a wholesome effect on those who are exhausted by the illness; as it restores the tonicity of the relaxed intestine, after it has driven out the morbific matter.
These remedies should be accompanied by a light, easily digestible diet that restores the tonicity of the intestine.
On the stomach a poultice should be applied of Gummi Içicaríiba, of Bals. Cabureiba and Copaiba or of Tapioca-paste, Acaju-wine, pulp of Araça-prunes, Nhambu-flowers and eggyolk.
Moreover dried foods are to be preferred above fluid or baked food, meals should be frequent and small.
A few drops of oil from orange peel are mixed with some wine, especially when there is some colic, which is agreeably relieved by a nets of Brazilian wasps in wine, taken as a potion or applied as a poultice.
Fresh herbs ground in vinegar are also excellent.
If it is necessary to use restoratives and astringent remedies these and similar native remedies should be used. The tops of Bacóba or Banána fruits half roasted or dried, in Acaju wine and with unripe Ianipába apple.
The natives give the shavings of the roasted shell of a tortoise as a potion to patients with this kind of diarrhoea, because of its strong astringent properties.
Also roasted goats-liver and chestnut of the Brasil cedar.
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Caput XII. De Dysenteria.
Sequuntur fluxus cum febre et sanguine, ut sunt dysenteria, fluxus hepaticus et inflammatio ani. Affectus dysentericus nimium his terris est familiaris. Oritur potissimum ex sudoribus, vi frigoris nocturni ac venti mediterranei subito admissi retroactis; tum fructuum fugacium et faeculenti potus immoderato usu, accedente aëre calido et humido. Haec excretio sanguinolenta licet pari vehementia per omnes Indias saeviat, numquam tamen in Brasilia morbi epidemici instar grassatam, alioque per contagium migrasse, constat.
Ita ut perpetuo nobis sporadica et popularis, nunquam vero epidemia existat: cum alias pertinacissima aliquando malignitas, si in alio quopiam, in hoc morbo imprimis apparet. Quibus excretio biliosa, adusta et spumosa, ut in iuvenibus saepe videre est, merito ab Hippocrate habetur calamitosa atque funesta; quippe quae nullis remediis cedat, licet haec tellus, contra malum tam familiare nobilissima minimeque vulgaria auxilia medica producat, et praestantiora industria ac solertia hominum in dies suscitentur. Verum missis iis, quae satis superque iam ante ab aliis de natura et curatione dysenteriae dicta sunt, ea tantum prosequar, quibus potissimum differant ab Europa. Affectui huic (praesertim si multa cacochymia adsit) tot simul solent supervenire symptomata, tamque horridi cruciatus, ut saepissime angustia rei et temporis legitimam methodum remorentur. Hac itaque necessitate exigente, venam tundere, haud consultum habent; (nisi ipso quidem principio, aut febre atque hepate affecto id maxime postulantibus) quoniam, etiamsi revellendi indicationi forte satis-
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Chapter XII. Dysentery.
Then follows the diarrhoea accompanied by fever and passage of blood, to which the dysentery, the fluxus hepaticus and the inflammation of the anus belong. Especially dysentery occurs very frequently in these parts. It develops especially when the sweat is driven back by the night cold, or by the sudden effect of the South wind, as also by the immoderate consumption of spoilt fruit and impure drinks, especially during warm and damp weather. Although this bloody flux is prevelant with equal severity in the whole of the Indies, it is cer-tain that it has never occurred epidemically in Brazil, but has only been transplanted there by contagion from other countries.
Hence, although it is one of the vulgar diseases, and scattered cases continually occur with us in this country, it never assumes the character of an epidemic here, although it does from time to time take on a more obstinately malignant character than any other disease. The bilious, burning and foaming stools which one often sees in young people have been rightly considered by Hippocrates as a suspicious and unfavourable symptom. Although this symptom cannot be wholly overcome by any medicament, there are excellent, although not at all well known medicines, produced by this country, the beneficial action of which on this so well known disease, is being daily enhaneed by the experience and ingenuity of the inhabitants of this country. Leaving out the ample communications in literature about the nature and treatment of dysentery, I shall here limit myself to the particularities in which they chiefly differ from what we are accustomed to in Europe. This illness gives rise (especially when accompanied by a great corruption of humours) to so many simultaneous symptoms
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factum eatur; male moratae tamen materiae morbificae et virium inopiae male fit, quia raro occasio deperditum resarciendi adsit.
Porro vel solo Rheo, vel laxativo quovis benignissimo mordacem humorem provocasse, partisque affectae cruciatus ingeminasse, suspicione plenum habetur. Si quando tamen evacuationi locus, radicem vomitivam ipecacuanha, exquisitissimum naturae munus, caeteris remediis praeferre conducit: quamvis ingenue fatear, plurimos medicastros incolas ad sudorifera et cordialia, quam ad evacuantia per alvum, benigniora licet, inclinare, etiam tunc cum maior cacochymiae quam ulcerationis signa appareant. Morbo durante praeter consolidantes, abstergentes et refrigerantes clysteres, nutrimentis et anodynis ex iusculo gallinarum hordeaceo aut furfuraceo, lacte caprino chalybeato et similibus insistendum.
Prae caeteris pulmento ex Tapioca et emulsionibus inde factis, quod multis indicationibus satisfaciant, utendum per inferiora aeque ac superiora: quippe mirifice consolidante et refrigerante qualitate partes afflictas demulcent, fluxiones quoque ruentes compescunt atque coagulunt, et orificia venarum claudunt.
Quodsi necessitas ulterius insurgat, viribus corroborandis et sistendis fluxibus invigilandum, scilicet opiatis: tum medicamentis quoque et alimentis astringentibus, consolidantibus, imprimis quae lumborum, ventris et jecinoris refrigerio et robori sunt.
Praeterea singulis vicibus quibus alvus dejicitur, fomenta ex iisdem parata immittantur, unde putredines et calores, vel praesentes, vel futuri avertantur. De quibus latius dicetur in capite de inflammatione ani.
Potus quo aeger utatur, ptisana sit, ex decocto de Carimá. Ovum quoque sorbile cum tribus quatuorve guttulis oleo Copaiba conducit, quod leniendo simul partes laesas consolidet, ac proinde totidem guttulae cum albumine ovi ex bombace ano inditae vel per Clysterem iniectae solamen adferunt. Assata elixatis praeferantur. Pacóba et
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and such dreadful pains, that the pressing danger leaves no time for a treatment, guided by the methodic rules of science. Nor do the native doctors hesitate for a moment, in such a case of emergency, to open a vein (though this is not according to the rule that either fever or an affection of the liver in the first place require such treatment) since, even if the indications to remove the disease products were followed sufficiently, yet the malignant nature of these products.
Therefore it must be remembered that in trying to remove the sharp humours with rhubarb or some other mild laxative, the suffering of the diseased parts is augmented. Hence when there is indication for a drastic removal of the morbific matter it is better to choose the emetic, ipecacuanha root, that excellent present of Nature; although I must honestly confess that very many native specialists, even when the symptoms point to a cacochymia rather than to an ulceration, are more inclined to give sweat promoting and heart strengthening medicines than even the mild laxatives. In a later stage of the disease one must give astringent, cleansing, and cooling enemas, and also restoratives which relieve the pains, such as chicken broth with barley and oats, goat's milk in which red hot iron has been cooled, and such things.
Tapioca as food, especially tapioca milk pudding, can be strongly recommended for these cases, administered by the mouth and also as an enema, because of its strengthening and cooling qualities, exercising a softening influence on the inflamed parts, stopping the diarrhoea and closing the opened bloodvessels.
When it is very urgent to ensure the recovery of strength and the stoppage of the diarrhoea, opium containing medicines are of course necessary, but also along with them nutrition and remedies that contract and keep the parts together cool and strengthen the loins, the abdomen and the liver.
Besides this, one must take care when stools have been passed to put poultices on those parts, in order to counteract the threatening rotting and inflammation. I shall treat of this more in detail in the chapter on the inflammation of the anus.
The patient can take as drink a slimy decoction of Carimá. Also a soft boiled egg with three or four drops of Copaiba oil has a favourable influence, as it works as a sedative, at the same time strengthening the diseased parts. The same number of drops added to the white of an egg, administered as an enema, give relief. Roast meat is
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Banána semitostae, saepe pro alimento medicamentoso accipiantur. Iidem quoque fructus dissecantur et in sole siccantur, atque in massam, addendo aceti momento, coquuntur loco panis. His accedunt plurima alia remedia nativa, astringendi simul et refrigerandi qualitate pollentia, quae primi incolae partim ut arcana celant, secumque interire cupiunt, partim innotuere et in tractatu de simplicibus tradita sunt. Horum quidem primum locum obtinent, Conservae et Rob fructuum Myrti Granatorum, utriusque Araça, Guajába, Mureçí, Murucujá, Ianipápa, Acajú.
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better than boiled meat. Lightly roasted Pacóba and Banána must be mentioned as foodstuffs, possessing healing properties. One can cut up these fruits into small pieces and dry them in the sun, after which one can add a little vinegar to the dried mass and then bake bread of it. We can add to this a list of native medicines which are supposed to contract and cool the parts. The original inhabitants keep some of these medicines to themselves, evidently wishing that their secret should go with them to the grave, but we have been able to make notes of others, so that we could discuss them in our treatise on the simple remedies. The chief of these are the preserved or jellied fruits granata, araça, guajába, mureçi, murucujá, janipápa and acajú.
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Caput XVI. De Lue Indica.
Lues quaedam ex coitu non tantum per contagium, vel parentum haereditario malo in liberos, sed ex leviori attactu atque per se contrahitur, orta potissimum ex alimento foetido et salso, potu rancido et corrupto. Inter Afros non solum atque Americanos, sed Lusitanos et Belgas quoque saevit, tumoribusque scirrhosis et virulentis ulceribus, totum corpus infestat. Quae quidem lues huic regioni est Endemia, et Bubas ab Hispanis, atque Miá a Brasilianis appellatur. Et sicuti citius sanatur a solis remediis indigenis, ita citius contaminat, quam illa quae lues gallica vulgo vocatur et ad Incolas huc defertur. De qua dicere non est propositi mei, sed de praesenti, quae licet in quibusdam conveniat cum illa; accidentibus et curatione tamen maxima ex parte differt. Empirici initio data opera eam negligunt, humorisque tenacitatem, in quo mali fomes maxime inhaeret, aliquot septimanarum intervallum requirere ad praeparationem, credunt. Vitam interim intemperatam vivere interdicunt, aquae calidae lavacra instituunt, frigus nocturnum, ne perspiratio cohibeatur, maximopere arcent, carnes recentes, imprimis ferinas, tostas, praecipiunt. Vinum permittunt, quod sudores et fuligines, non sine aegrotantis levamine, per poros expellere comperiantur. Qui ab hoc medendi modo recedunt, symptomatum quidem pro tempore levamen allaturos, sed postea recidivam artuumque dolores successuros, ratum habent. Tandem praeparato hoc modo corpore, evacuationes instituunt: mox eos, qui praesertim tenuioris sortis sunt, ad molendinas sacchareas ignesque luculentissimos ablegant; et solo decocto, cuius basis Caaróba et Sarçaparilla, curationem felicissime absolvunt. Ulcera quoque solo attritu aut lotione Caaróba, aliarumque herbarum exsiccantium et abstergentium succo, tollunt. foliis au tem Caaróba
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Chapter XVI. Indian Lues.
It is possible to be infected here by a kind of lues not only by direct infection, or as is the case with children, in the form of an inherited affection, but also by the slightest touch, or even without there being any such a cause, the origin of it being attributed to the eating of spoiled and salted food, and stale and impure drink. It is not only prevalent among the negroes and Indians but also among the Portuguese and Dutch, the whole body being covered with hard swellings and malignant ulcers. This affection is an endemic disease in these parts, and is called Bubas by the Spanjards and Miá by the natives. And although it is more quickly healed by the native medicines than the disease called French pox, which has been brought here, infecting the natives, it is more infectious than the last mentioned. I do not intend to speak about the latter disease but about the former, which, it is true, is like the latter in some respects, in its symptoms and in the way it has to be treated, yet in reality differs very much from it. In the beginning the native doctors pay very little attention to it since they believe that the tough, tenacious fluids which are the chief cause of the affection, take about seven months to develop. They prescribe during this time a regular life, and warm ablutions, and try to avoid the night cold so as not to interfere with perspiration. They prescribe the eating of fresh meat, especially game, and toast, and allow the drinking of wine, since they are convinced, that this drives the sweat and the bad vapours out through the pores, to the great relief of the patient. They are convinced, that they, who neglect this treatment, may have a period during which the symptoms of the disease may be temporarily alleviated, but that it will be followed by a new attack accompanied by pains in the joints. After having prepared the body
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nunc coctis pro balneo, nunc ore jejuno masticatis, ulcera, quae per se non evanescunt, exsiccant, et malignitatem extrahunt. Quod ipsum aliquoties per chirurgos in nosocomio imitari iussi, et voti nos compotes reddidit.
Nequis autem fallatur, haec lues sive ex Hispanica mixta, ut saepe sit, sive simplex Endemia, Europaeis praesertim, non adeo parvi facienda sive in principio sive in progressu. Neque enim ut quidam existimarunt, intra Tropicos levior ob halituum a sole perpetuam extractionem; gravior tantum in septentrionalibus regionibus datur. Ac si nocturnum frigus modo leviter admissum, apertos diurno calore poros non cum summo detrimento aegri altius occluderet, discussionem tetrorum vaporum impediret, versusque periostium, in quo dolor, repelleret. Sicut quotidie fit, vel aegrorum vel medicorum incuria, qui differentias diei et noctis contemnunt.
Et tune quidem male morata ulcera, quibus hoe malo infestati turpiter scatere solent, praeter alia symptomata, cariem in ossibus causari videas. Sicut in reiteratis dissectionibus corporum autopsia nos docuit.
Atque tune simul anatomiae, in AEthiopibus exercitii gratia institutae, certos nos fecere, nigredinem illam cutaneam ultra epidermidem non penetrare, eaque ablata mox ipsam cutem albam Europaeorum plane more se offerre. Si vero contigerit aliquos epidermide alba nasci (sicut in puella et iuvene pilis crispis et oculis caesiis ex Nigritis natis videre licuit) inter naturae monstra recensentur, adeoque ob albedinem conterraneis suis contemtui existunt, quam si nigra cute aliqui Europaei nascerentur.
Sed missa hac digressione ad institutum redeo, pauca additurus quae de Gonorrhoea notatu digna existimavi. Gonorrhoea simplex, sicut haud difficilis habetur curationis, ita facile acquiritur, modo a
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in this way, they then proceed with the cleansing process, in the case of poor people, by sending them to the overheated sugar mills, and then, with a decoction of Caaróba and Sarçaparilla, they are able to effect a successful cure. They heal the sores by bathing them with the juice of the Caaróba or by washing them with the same, or with that of other desiccative and cleansing herbs. They treat the sores, which persist, with a bath made of a decoction of the leaves of Caaróba, or by putting the chewed leaves on the sores, which draw out the poison from them. I have repeatedly had this done by the doctors in our hospital when the results came up to our expectations.
Let no one think that this infection, whether mixed with the Spanish pox, or endemic of an exclusively native character, especially in Europeans, at the beginning, and also in its further course needs little care; nor that, as some people think, it is less serious in the tropics, because of the continual perspiration due to the heat, whereas it would be more serious in Northern regions. If the night cold gets in, it can, to the great detriment of the patient, absolutely close the pores, which have been opened by the heat of the day, so preventing the passage of bad vapours, pressing them back to the periosteum, which is then painfully affected, a circumstance which occurs daily through the carelessness of patients and doctors, who pay no attention to the difference between day and night.
Then one sees, besides other symptoms, that the slowly healing sores which cover the body of those affected by this plague, are the cause of bone caries as we have repeatedly found at postmortems.
These autopsies which we did on niggers, in order to increase our knowledge, have also convinced us that the black colour of their skin is limited to the upper layer of the skin, and that when we had removed that, there was a white skin layer visible, exactly like that of Europeans. When, however children are born with a white skin (as I once saw a girl and a boy with curly hair and bluish eyes, of black parents) then they must be looked upon as mónstrosities, and they are despised on account of their light colour, just as much as a European would be despised who was born with a black skin.
After this little interruption I shall return to my subject and shall add some remarks about the gonorrhoea, which I think worth mentioning. This disease is easily cured, and just as easily contracted
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diuturna equitatione sub aestu meridiano. A purgantibus initio sibi cavent in omni Gonorrhoea, sive virulenta sive non virulenta. Tam salutaria contra hunc affectum domi nanciscuntur remedia Incolae, ut raro in exotica, quae in officinis prostant, inquirere illis necessum sit. Praeferunt, Guabipocaiba, Lusitanis Pao Podre, quam ego arborem siliquosam, in tractatu de Simplicibus, appellavi.
Eius radix in taleolas dissecta et in aqua ex canna saccharea destillata, macerata, aërique exposita, eam abstersoria et diuretica qualitate imbuit, quae mane et vesperi pota, parastatas et renes insigniter mundificat. Cavendum tamen ne immodice hoe medicamento valido utare, quod sanguinem ducat. His accedit Iuripéba, Canna silvestris Iacuacánga dicta, radix Iaborandi, quae noctu sub dio macerata in aqua fontana diluitur, eiusque diluti quatuor plus minus unciae per quindecim circiter dies bibuntur, unde renes et vesica repurgantur. Post haec pro potu quotidiano, eiusdem cannae silvestris decocto utuntur. Atque alternatim ob calores suscitatos, mane ptisanam seu liquorem ex Tipióca exhibent. Dilutum radicis de Aguaxíma, Iacuacanga, Pagimirióba, Caapomónga, emulsiones ex Tipióca, nuce Coco recenti, et seminibus frigidis, cannaeque sacchareae aqua praeparatae, familiaria illis sunt remedia, Contra inflammationes lotii, post frigidam dorsi et perinaei inunctionem, grenitalia emollientibus fomentant, nempe decocto summitatum Imbaíba, et Tupeiçáva, floribusque malvae Americanae et Fabarum vulgarium, atque id genus aliis. Calorifica vero, tam a medicamento quam cibis procul esse iubent, ne virulentia et incendium invalescant. Ego tamen nimium refrigerantium usum aliquando noxam intulisse expertus sum, quod tonus genitalium inde debilitetur. Semper enim condonandum est Empiricis, utpote diligentioribus in exhibendis medicamentis quam in distinguendis morborum causis. Quippe sicut ex his medendi formulis apparet, Profluvia geniturae cum Gonorrhoeis videntur confundere. Quod qui evitare velit, adeat Plater Obs. pag. 729. Lang. Epist. 2.1.5. Solenand. pag. 199. V. 45. Hofm. pag. 540.
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here, even by riding on horseback in the daytine in the tropical heat. In the first stage they avoid purgatives, strong ones as well as weak ones. The natives possess such effective remedies against this complaint, that they do not need the foreign remedies in our dispensary. They choose the Guabipocaiba, called by the Portuguese the Pao Podre, which in my treatise about the simple medical remedies, I have called the pop bearing tree.
When the root of it is cut into thin pieces, and then extracted in the juice of cane sugar, and exposed to the air, this juice is endowed with cleansing and diuretic qualities, so that, if it is drunk in the evenings and in the mornings, it washes out the testes and the kidneys. One has to take care that this strong medicine is used in moderation, since it may cause bleedings. Other medicines belonging to this class are Iuripéba, the sugar cane growing in woods called Iacuacánga, and also the Iaborandi root which is extracted in spring water during one night, after which during a fortnight, about four Dutch ounces of it are drunk daily, to cleanse the kidneys and bladder (four Dutch ounces = 13-14 English ounces). After that they take a decoction of the wild sugar cane as a daily drink. To counteract the heat engendered by this, they alternate it with a thin gruel or a drink, made of Tipióca, which is taken in the morning. A decoction of the root Aguaxíma, Iacuacanga, Pagimirióba, Caapomónga, or a drink made of Tipióca, fresh cocoa nut, cold seeds and water prepared from manna, are their usual remedies. To alleviate the soreness of micturition, they rub the back and perinaeum with cooling remedies, and treat the sexual organs with softening poultices, made of the leaf buds of Imbaíba and Tupeiçáva. the flowers of the American mallow and of the ordinary beans and other such like herbs. In medicines and foods they avoid anything with stimulating and heat producing properties, which would increase the malignancy and inflammation. I have, however, noticed that too much use of cooling remedies were sometimes harmful, as these diminished the normal tension of the sexual parts. One ought not to judge the native doctors too severely for applying themselves rather to the administration of healing remedies, than to the diagnosis of the cause of the disease. As will be seen from these prescriptions they seem to confuse a genital secretion with gonorrhoea. Those who wish to avoid this mistake can get light on the subject from Plater. Obs. pag. 729,
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Quocirca in Gonorrhoea virulenta malignitate exturbata subsistunt peritiores, quando indicatio astringendi, consolidandi, et siccandi est. Quod quidem optime sit balsamo Copaiba, saccharo vel oleo olivarum dissoluto atque per os et penem injecto.
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Lang. Epist. 2.1.5, Solenand. pag. 199. V. 45. Hofm. pag. 540.
As to the malignant gonorrhoea all who have some experience are unanimous in thinking that when the acute symptoms have been subdued, the time has come for the administration of contracting, strengthening and desiccative remedies, and the best materia to use for these purposes are Copaiba balsam, which dissolved in sugar, or olive oil must be taken internally as well as injected into the penis.
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