Paralysis is not uncommon. I know of two instances in this neighbourhood—both men, who lost the use of one side and the power of speech. The one recovered his speech after a few months; and, later, the use of his limbs. The other is still speechless, and his leg and side are quite paralysed. Another instance, which occurred about two years ago, was a young man at this station, who was suddenly paralysed in one arm, and lost both hearing and speech, but in about a month fully recovered without any medical treatment, and he has had no repetition of the attack.
Rheumatism is very common; I think very few are free from it. I have afforded them temporary relief at times by giving them an embrocation of turpentine and oil.
Diarrhœa, which sometimes results in dysentery, is at times prevalent, especially at the time when certain native berries are in season. The usual homœopathic remedies have invariably counteracted the disease.
Chronic Diarrhœa.—I have met with several instances which, from the irregularity of the patients' diet and other causes, have been very difficult to cure. These complaints, combined with the very injudicious and frequent use of salts, are the fearful cause of hæmorrhoids.
Skin Disease (a virulent pustular scabies) is very common, and often very troublesome. It generally succumbs to sulphur, or, in very severe cases, to sulphur and mercury. This complaint, when combined with a weakly state of body, sometimes proves fatal; it then forms a crust over the whole skin, and is exceedingly painful and itchy, and is accompanied with fever. I know one case, a weakly boy of about twelve years of age, in which death ensued from its effects. It arises principally from filth, and is propagated by contact.
Hardening and Enlargement of the Stomach.—This is a disease that appears to be peculiar to this people. The stomach becomes perfectly hard; at first it feels about the size of the fist, but it gradually enlarges to a great size. The limbs and body waste away to a mere skeleton; the appetite is voracious, with a great craving for meat, though the patient is able to eat but little at a time, and the food seems to afford no nourishment; great debility ensues, and the patient dies after lingering perhaps a year, or even two. I have not been able to find a cure for it, though I have often relieved it for a time by the use of medicine and nourishing diet. A medical friend has treated one case by the external application of iodine with some little benefit, but without effecting a cure. The patient, I hear, is now near death. He pronounces the complaint incurable. Men and women are alike subject to it; the cases I have met with have been persons in the prime of life. No post-mortem examination has been made in any case, so that little is known of the peculiar features of the disease, or its cause. It would be interesting and useful to anatomize a case; but I fear the prejudices of the people would be opposed to anything of the kind.
Venereal is not so frequent amongst the men as is generally supposed. I have seen very few cases, but I believe many of the young women, and even girls, are afflicted with it. I have seen on the Darling several severe cases. The young women and girls are sought after by the white men, who suffer very severely for their folly and wickedness. The women, when very bad, abstain
