Missionary Travels and Researches in South AfricaLivingstone, David
Religion
Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa
Livingstone, David
Missions -- South Africa; South Africa -- Description and travel
On the 30th of May I was seized with fever for the first time. We
reached the town of Linyanti on the 23d; and as my habits were
suddenly changed from great exertion to comparative inactivity, at
the commencement of the cold season I suffered from a severe attack of
stoppage of the secretions, closely resembling a common cold. Warm baths
and drinks relieved me, and I had no idea but that I was now recovering
from the effects of a chill, got by leaving the warm wagon in the
evening in order to conduct family worship at my people's fire. But on
the 2d of June a relapse showed to the Makololo, who knew the complaint,
that my indisposition was no other than the fever, with which I have
since made a more intimate acquaintance. Cold east winds prevail at this
time; and as they come over the extensive flats inundated by the Chobe,
as well as many other districts where pools of rain-water are now drying
up, they may be supposed to be loaded with malaria and watery vapor, and
many cases of fever follow. The usual symptoms of stopped secretion
are manifested--shivering and a feeling of coldness, though the skin
is quite hot to the touch of another. The heat in the axilla, over the
heart and region of the stomach, was in my case 100 Deg.; but along the
spine and at the nape of the neck 103 Deg. The internal processes were
all, with the exception of the kidneys and liver, stopped; the latter,
in its efforts to free the blood of noxious particles, often secretes
enormous quantities of bile. There were pains along the spine, and
frontal headache. Anxious to ascertain whether the natives possessed
the knowledge of any remedy of which we were ignorant, I requested the
assistance of one of Sekeletu's doctors. He put some roots into a pot
with water, and, when it was boiling, placed it on a spot beneath a
blanket thrown around both me and it. This produced no immediate effect;
he then got a small bundle of different kinds of medicinal woods, and,
burning them in a potsherd nearly to ashes, used the smoke and hot vapor
arising from them as an auxiliary to the other in causing diaphoresis.
I fondly hoped that they had a more potent remedy than our own medicines
afford; but after being stewed in their vapor-baths, smoked like a red
herring over green twigs, and charmed 'secundem artem', I concluded that
I could cure the fever more quickly than they can. If we employ a wet
sheet and a mild aperient in combination with quinine, in addition to
the native remedies, they are an important aid in curing the fever, as
they seem to have the same stimulating effects on the alimentary
canal as these means have on the external surface. Purgatives, general
bleedings, or indeed any violent remedies, are injurious; and the
appearance of a herpetic eruption near the mouth is regarded as an
evidence that no internal organ is in danger. There is a good deal in
not "giving in" to this disease. He who is low-spirited, and apt to
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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