Page:A pilgrimage to my motherland.djvu/148

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TO MY MOTHERLAND.
139

from marsh miasmata common to other tropical countries, as well as to the southern sections of the United States. I have, myself, experienced the disease, not only in Africa, but in the West-Indies and Central America, and know that in all these places it is identical. Emigrants to the Western States of America suffer severely from typhoid fever, which often renders them powerless for months together; but with the African fever, which is periodical, there is always an intermission of from one to three days between the paroxysms, when the patient is comparatively well. Persons of intemperate habits, however, are generally very seriously affected. I suffered five attacks during my sojourn in Africa. The first, at Lagos, continuing about eight days, was induced by severe physical exertion in the sun. The four other attacks were in the interior. By a prompt application of suitable remedies, neither of them lasted longer than four or five days, and were not severe. The treatment I found most efficacious was, immediately on the appearance of the symptoms, to take two or three antibilious pills, com-posed each of two and a half grains comp. ext. Colocynth, and one fourth grain Podophyllin, (ext. May-apple root.) For the present of a box of these pills I am indebted to Messrs. Bullock & Crenshaw, drug-gists, Sixth, above Arch street. This treatment