Volume 2

An account of the native Africans in the neighbourhood of Sierra Leone : to which is added an account of the present state of medicine among them / by Thomas Winterbottom.

  • Winterbottom, Thomas Masterman, 1765-1859.
Date:
1803
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An account of the native Africans in the neighbourhood of Sierra Leone : to which is added an account of the present state of medicine among them / by Thomas Winterbottom. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    25/314 (page 13)
    CHAP. IT. GENERAL DISEASES. FEVER. REMEDIES FOR THE THIRST, VOMITING, AND HEADACH, WHICH ATTEND IT. REMITTENTS. MODE OF CUPPING. INTERMITTENTS. ENLARGEMENT OF THE SPLEEN. CDEMA OF LOWER EXTREMITIES. MANIA. IDIOTISM. - EPILEPSY. WORMS, LE- THARGY. Noe is the most frequent and most fatal disease to which Europeans are subject upon this coast : it is less common among the Africans, who also suffer less from its attacks. In them, it is generally the sequel of a debauch, and very. frequently follows the excessive intemperance in which they indulge at the funeral of their friends. It is a common remark among them, that one ‘cry’ is generally followed by several others ; for when any person of consequence dies, several others fall sick, and often narrowly escape with their lives. Even this they attribute to witch- craft, though it evidently depends upon their own misconduct. They have no idea of the nature of fever, as a general disease, nor have they any word in their language to express it, but name it from any of its urgent symp- toms, as sick head*, sick belly, &c. On that account it has been supposed that the Africans . are not liable to the attacks of remittent fever, an opinion which is contrary to fact. It is not * Head-ach in Bullom is, Bul nek-kée-ay ; in Timmanee, Ro- bimp robang. Sick belly, in Bullom, is Koonay nekkeeay ; in Timmanee, Koor Rob-bang.