THE MATAMOROS PAPERS.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1953, 9 August 1869, Page 3

THE MATAMOROS PAPERS.

No. VII. The inhabitants of this province have every reason to be satisfied with the climate of the country which they have • chosen for their home. Although rather more rain falls here than we could wish, there can be no doubt that Otago is one of the healthiest places in the world the ruddy countenances of our children and the appearance of rude health of the inhabitants generally prove that this is the case. Nevertheless, it appears that we too are affected by the natural law which assigns to each part of the world its predominant disease. England, on the whole a healthy country, appears to be peculiarly the home of lung diseases ; the climate of Switzerland seems to favour the increase of scrofulous swellings ; the tropical islands of the Pacific are remarkable for the numerous eases of elephantiasis to be found among their inhabitants ; India does away with people’s livers ; and Australia sorely interferes with their hearts. The characteristic disease of Otago, and more particularly of Dunedin will be, I do not doubt, curvature of the spine. This announcement will no doubt startle many people. Few, I dare say, have even noticed it; but the practised eye of a medical man is not to be deceived. I feel that it is my duty, and indeed that of the profession generally to give timely advice about this matter. A very great deal may be done in the way of prevention, and, even to persons afflicted, who will implicitly follow my advice, I promise a speedy and certain cure. A few months ago I noticed some well-dressed ladies walking in George street, all of whom seemed to me to move along in a very constrained and awkward manner. This, however, made very little impression on my mind ; but as time went on, I saw that the peculiar gait was slowly but surely getting itself extended, from the richer circles outwards, till now, -when nearly every female in the town w T alks in a more or less unnatural manner. (It may here be remarked that the thing is entirely confined to the female sex.) I cannot describe the symptoms of the disease better than by saying that the patients appear to have a sort of kink in the back, and that the face wears a peculiar expression of painful anxiety as if the sufferer had a quantity of smuggled tobacco concealed about her person, and she knew a custom-house officer was just behind her. To an attentive observer these appearances are absurdly, though painfully grotesque. I do not think that the disease is severe enough to warrant the Government’s immediately erecting a new wing to the hospital for the special accommodation of patients suffering from it, but should it suddenly assume a violent character, something undoubted!} 7 should be done. In the meantime, philanthrpists will do well to keep their eyes open, and be ready to take immediate steps if needful. This disease—as Avell as many other female complaints, hysteria, for instance —is propagated chiefly by “ sympathy.” The most effectual preventive measure, therefore, that can be adopted by ladies who wish to keep free from the complaint, is to avoid as much as possible the company of persons affected by it. As I said before, however, the thing is easily cured. The following simple remedy will be found to have a marvellous effect. As I don’t believe in people mixing their own medicines, I give the prescription, which any respectable druggist will make up:—

OJ. Cantharid. oz. j. 01. Terebinth, ozs. ij. Tr. Capsic. oz. j. Spirit Vini rectif. ozs. ij. Mix. Ut fiat line in f his u i die adhibend. The patient will have this rubbed over the whole surface of the back, before a fire, twice a day. When the skin is all off, and the surface presents the appearance of a raw beef-steak, the use of the liniment may be discontinued. By these simple means a complete cure will have been effected. St. Ouen. P.S.—Since writing the above, I have learnt that I have been laboring under a mistake, and that what I have been describing as a disease is a fashionable importation from Home. It is called the “ Grecian Bend,” and is considered particularly graceful. My mistake, however, is a slight one ; though it is not a matter for the general practitioner, surely a “ mad doctor’s ” advice on the subject would not be out of place.