the Air, whereby they fall in time into Consumptions, Dropsies, &c. if they miss Apoplectic Fits.
Rum is made of Cane-juice not fit to make Sugar, being eaten with Worms in a bad Soil, or through any other fault; or of the Skummings of the Coppers in Crop time, or of Molossus and water fermented about fourteen days in Cisterns, and then distill'd off, of which an account will be given hereafter. It seems to be much the same with Rack, or Arac (made in the East-Indies of Rice) and other vinous Spirits, the Creatures of Fermentation, and has an unsavoury Empyreumatical scent, which is endeavour'd to be taken off by Rectification, mixing Rosemary with it, or after double Distilling letting it stand under Ground in Jars.
They talk of a common Experiment here, that any Animals Liver put into Rum grows soft, and not so in Brandy, whence they argue this last less wholesome than that, but their Experiment, if true, proves no such thing. I think it may be said to have all good and bad qualities of Brandy, or any fermented or vinous Spirit.
It is, and may be us'd outwardly, instead of Hungary-water, in Aches, Pains, &c. especially that which is double distill'd.
The better sort of People lie as in England, though more on Quilts, and with few, if any Coverings; they hold here that lying expos'd to the Land Breezes, is very unhealthy, which I do not believe to come so much from the qualities of the Air, either manifest or more obscure, as from this, that the Air is, when one goes to sleep here, very hot, the Sun beams having heated it so long, it retains this heat for some considerable time in the night, which afterwards wearing away, it grows towards morning very cold, and affects one so much as by the coldness sometimes to awake one if sleeping. This must of necessity check insensible transpiration, and so may be the cause of many Diseases. To avoid this, Negros and Indians sleep not without a Fire near them.
Hamacas are the common Beds of ordinary white People, they were in use amongst the Indians, and are much cooler than Beds, so cool as not to be lain in without Clothes, especially if swung, as is usually the custom here. This sort of Bed is very proper for People troubled with Rhumatisms, or inflam'd Blood, as also those who have any great defluxion on any part of their Legs or Thighs; also for Women with Child in danger of Miscarriage, the high lying or position of the parts, the Heels being up as high as the Head, favouring this. 'Tis a very good way, and easie for a sick Person to be carried in one of these from place to place by four Men, as is the Custom of the better sort of people in Guinea.
Indians
