Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 003.djvu/85

 condition of health, with which our ships now sail, in comparison of what our Ancestors experimented, than this: Generally all our Seamen and Passengers let blond in the Voyage before that time. Yet is not that to be done rashly, nor by all in the same degree of Latitude; for, I carefully observ'd in our ships the alteration of our bodies upon the change of Climat, and found, that the blond of the English, which consists of parts more gross, and is extracted from a more substantial food, viz. that of Flesh, than in other Countries, did attenuate, and the pulses in some became very lofty, full and quick; in others, slow, yet more lofty and full than before. In some there was a sense of pricking in their flesh, in some a great dulness and oppression of spirits and heaviness: after which, they pass into a condition of sweating, which pursues them afterwards for so long a time, as I mention'd. From this agitation of humours, it is easie to shew the reason, why our Ancestors fell sick, and how necessary it is to bleed, when any feels those symptoms in him: for, immediately upon bleeding the pores are open'd, and they fall to sweat; and by this course, those numbers of people, we carried over with us to Jamaica, arrived safe. Some I caused to be blouded in 32 degrees, some in 28, some in 24. and 23. deg. And in all our ships there died but three. In our ship, two had the disease, so much talk'd of, called the Calenture; concerning the progress of which disease I can say nothing; for they were thus cured presently; I was talking with one of them, and on a sudden he beheld green leaves, as he imagin'd, floating on the sea, which yet was Azure-coloured: after that, he began to admire the fine woods, which he fancied to be near us. I immediately gave him a Vomit of the Glass of Antimony in Sack; which no sooner had wrought its effect, but all those imaginations vanished. At night I gave him some Conserve of red-Roses vitriolated. Salt of Worm-wood and Diascordium: the next day he was blouded at the arm in the morning; and in the forehead in the after-noon. His diet was water-gruel with cream of Tartar in it; and also some Prunes stew'd. I could perceive nothing of any Feaver in the disease; his pulse was low, slow and equal; his temper rather colder than ought to be; so far was he from any sense of heat, or discoloration of his tongue, or thirst. The other person imagin'd nothing but Groves of Oranges and Limons, and begg'd the opportunity Rh