De Brahm, John Gerar William, 1717-approximately 1799. History of the three provinces South Carolina, Georgia, and East Florida : manuscript, [after 1771]. MS Am 824. Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

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As much those Constructions of Dams (made to reserve Water) ! testify of the great Skill, Industry and Improvement of this Province, and as much they contribute to their Opulence, so much the corrosive Vapours of these stagnant Waters evaporating and mixing with the Air become prejudicial to Health by cloaking the Stomachs of the Inhabitants with Slime and corrupt their Blood; from whence different Disorders, as Agues, Fevers and Relaxations are brought as well upon the European, than African Descendants, unless they moderate their imbibed corrosive Vapours by a prudent and moderate Use of Spirits, which dulcify (obtund) all corroding matters, otherwise apt to coagulate the Humidities, relax the Tonum, and cause Putrefaction, which to prevent ardent Spirits always prove themselves the most convenient Speciffica antiseptica; but 'tis only to be understood from pure wholsome Spirits, for if they are otherwise, that is: when in their Distillation the Acidity remaining in the Alembick is not prevented from following the pure and wholsome Spirit; this Acidity will corrode the Copper, concenter itself in the Acid of that Metal, and distill together into the Spirit, who by the many aqueous parts, is hindered from obtunding with its oily Quality as well the Arsenical particuls of the Copper, as the concentrated Acid, of course inflames the massam Sanguinis, whence Consumption; it coagulates the Humiditys, renders the pancreatic succus viscous, and consequently unfit to dilute the Bile, whence all colerique Disorders; it constitutes and conveys a Salin aquosite in the Sinus cerebri to the Prejudice of the Nerves, whence nervous Disorders take their Cause &c.

The Wholesomeness and Purity of any Spirit can easily be tryed by vetting flame to five spoon fulls of Spirit, if more than one Spoonful of aquosity remains after the Spirit is burnt, it will not prove medicinal (a)but since these carefully alkoolised Spirits would not fetch a greater market Price, than those carelessly distilled, this wholsome spirituous medicine, therefore can only be wished for, but not be obtained, unless by those, who take the Trouble to cohabate (redestille) them; which Operation requiring some Skill, and Trouble, will not be undertaken by many; So that the preventing the Evil, proceeding from the corrosive Vapours for the Generality must be committed to Futurity, when the Province will be more open and cleared from its Woods to give greater and unobstructed Passages to the ranging Winds, which will extenuate and scatter these Vapours in the Air, that only an inoffensive small Share can be imbibed by those, who breath upon it —

Altho' the burning of the Woods is not at all times a Remedy to purifie the Air, when filled (besides Vapours) with Phlogistic matters, which by the Sulphur disengaged from its Adherent matter through Combustion

(:a:) or five penny weight of Spirit burnt on a [pair] of Scales, if more phlegma remains

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is augmented, and thereby enraged; this will be the Case, if so, that the burning of the Wood (Forrests) is applied as a Remedy in high Summer Seasons, when the sun is near, or in perigeo; but when the Sun is between its perigeo and apogeo in the foggy Seasons, which are in Spring and Fall, when then the Forrests are set a burning, the Fire and Heat will rarify and dispose the Fogs to ascend, settle and mix with the lightest Air above the heavy Atmosphere, and the Inhabitants are greatly releaved from the morbifical Proximity of these Vapours. In these Seasons Grass and Bushes are dry, and inclining to take and spread fire all over the high, and also low Lands, in case the latter have been without Water on it for a long Season. Persons, who are not acquainted with the Nature of burning the Woods in America, may be apt to suppose, that the Trees are liable to be set a burning, which if one did intend ever so much, would find himself disappointed, for if this was practicable, all the Trees in America would have been burnt down, before any European came there —

The burning of the Grass and underwoods in the Forrests is an ancient custom of the Indians, they practised it, in order to alure the Deer upon the new Grass, as also to discover the Impressions of their Enemies Tracts in the new burnt Ground distinguishable to their Women and Children in case the Raven (:a:) should be sick or out of the way, who, as well as any other Indian (as they all apply themselves to hunting) are by Practice so keen and precise, that they can distinguish, and follow all Tracts, be it of a white Man, Negroe, Indian, or be it of a Bear, Wolf, or Deer, Horse, or Cow, even on hard Bottom, not admitting of Impression, so as on soft Ground, altho' covered all over with leaves, so that the ground itself is not visible, and even bare of any Grass or Bushes (which by their irregular Bend may indicate a Creature (:human or Animal:) having tread upon or brushed by it.

The Author has frequently observed the Tops of young pine Trees burnt by the Fire, which nevertheless he met, in few Months after, quite recovered, sprouted and green; if an old dying or dead Tree is in the Way of the Fire, it will indeed flame and burn down; but seldom with the first Fire; likewise if hurricane Trees lay long on the Ground, and their Branches become Fewel to the Fire, it will of Course continue on that spot, to consume Branch and Body; as also the young bystanding saplins, especially in a high Wind; in which Cases they are utterly destroyed, but a green full grown Tree never takes Fire, unless at the Bottom, with no more Effect, than to have his Bark a little singed.

The Fire of the burning old Grass, Leaves and Underwoods consumes a Number of Serpents, Lizards, Scorpions, Spiders and their Eggs, as

(:a:) this they call the Lookout, whose Business it is to recognize the avenues of their Town.

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also Bucks, ticks, petilies Muskitoes, with other Vermins, and Insects in general very offensive, and some very poisonous, whose Increase would, without this expedient cover the Land, and make America disinhabitable.

Many objections are made against certains Winds, as if at all times coming from a certain Quarter, was prejudicing the State of Health of the Inhabitants, but 'tis difficult to determine with Propriety and Preciseness, which, and when a wind is realy a wholsome or an unwholsome Wind, as long as the Winds Quality depends from Circumstances, and these Subject to Alterations, and the Disposition of matters, with which the interstitia of the Wind are filled up, as per Instance: if the Wind comes from the west in Summer, which is over the Apalachian Mountains, he is pregnant with sulphuric and arsenical Exhalations, and in the Winter its Globules sealed with Frost are hard, if the Wind blows East from the Sea, he conveys a Cargo of amonical Salt more in the Summer than in the Winter; if the Wind brushes through the Woods from the North, especially in Spring and Fall, it carries the corrosive Effluvia from Savannahs (: Meadows :) Marshes and Wwamps &c But not always the same Quantity: if the Wind in Summer rols from the South, it is a Point or focus formed (: near north Latitude 30 {degrees}:) by the Contact of the two Winds, one leaping from the pacific Sea over New Spain. (: The Isthmus which joins Mexico to Perou :) and the other traversing the Atlantic Ocean, and meet in the Gulph of Mexico. These Winds jointly take their Direction North, and sweep before them all Vapours and Effluvia in their Way; great part of which they loose, combing the great Forrest, which contains the Provinces of Florida and Georgia.

The Meeting of these Winds in Mexico is generally at 9 a:m: arrives at Savannah in Georgia at 11, and at Charles Town in this Province at 12; so that in a Minute of an Hour these combined Winds travel a Minute of a Degree. (: a :) From the Premises appears the necessary Consequence that Winds are more or less wholsome, as they more or less pregnant with sound volatile Salts, sulphureous Aromaticks, or pernicious corrosive Effluvia and Vapours, and that in a measure, as they are more or less in Quantity, and in a Degree, as they approach gradually or surprise suddenly, now from a hot, then from a cold Quarter, or vice varsa; these sudden Changes are very common, and more pernicious, than the corroding Vapours (: with which these Winds are some times charged :) especially, when they surprise the human Frame without being prepared at its Arrival.

A Person otherwise of a healthy Disposition may preserve his Health by frequent bathing in salt Water in warm and hot seasons; by wearing suitable Apparel, rather of wool, than Silk, Cotton or Linnen; by keeping his Feet warm, and bearing few Hairs on his crown; by chusing his House

(: a :) a minute of a Degree on a meridian is a Distance of 6116 feet.

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of Retirement from Business without the House at the Hours, when the Termoscope rises to the Degree of Blood-heat; by mixing always the best Spirits with his drink-Water, to drink frequently, but small Draughts, especially at Meals; by chusing the best Wine, and to use it very moderately after Meal (: a :); by abstaining in Summer from Tea, Coffee and Chocolate, from hot Meals, and NB Spices of all kinds, unless, when the Bile is too much diluted by the pancreatic Succus (: b :); also to abstain from salted, and dryed Provisions, in which is no Nourishment, and parboiled fresh meat or Fish, which lays too long in the Stomach, and causes Putrefaction; or half boiled Vegitables, which will ferment and raise Flatulence and Acidity; by never overcharging the Stomach with Liquids, more less with Victuals, which unproportionally dilates the Vessels; finally by taking moderate Exercise without exposing himself to Morning & Evening Dews, nor Rains, which shuts the Pores, and prevents Perspiration; but in case of having transgressed in the Premises, to dissolve immediately the slimy Humidity, and procure them Easy Passage through the different Emunctoria by Diaphoeticks {verbi}: {gratia}: Purgatives, Diaproiks, and Diureticks before any Disease has fixed, and particularized itself.

{Chapter} 3.^d Of Pathology, Materiamedica Diet and Regimen

As Diseases, Remedies and Regimens have transiently and superficially passed under the Recognizance of the Author, he apprehends that a more precise Account of what is so universally interesting, will be expected from the Title of his Report; in Conformity to which He will philosophically communicate his Experiments and Observations.

To enter upon this Subject with Propriety, a Hypothesis, accompanied with a short allegorical Speculation, supported with an Experiment, will not be thought an unnecessary Digression, in Order to display both Pathology and materiam medicam.

(: a :) in the Spring and Fall Part, or other Adstringent, but in the Winter Madeira or other sprituous Wines, the same in Summer, altho' good Spirits mixed with Water are preferable to any Wine in Summer.

(: b :) in which Case the Deficiency of the Bile requires a substituent Suceedaneum which is of the same Effect, as the Bile {videlicet}! Spices.

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All Disorders (whatever their Denominations may be/ proceed only from two principal Causes {videlicet}

Inflamation and Relaxation.

The Construction of the human Body with all its Vessels contained therein can reasonably be compared with a chymical Athanor and its different circulatoria, Sublimatoria, Colatoria, Alembicks &c, which all are governed by a Calneum Vaporis, by whose Regimen the whole Digestion, Secretion and Excretion is performed every 24 hours, altho' not at all times with the same Order and Effect, nor to the same Benefit, which clearly can be demonstrated from the different Excretions of the many Secretions greatly altering in Proportion at the various Seasons of the year in this Climate as appear from the statical Experiments made in Charles Town, and laid down in the following Table.

Proportion of the Excretions in every Season

Seasons	by Urine	by Perspiration	by Dejection	Sum
.	Parts	Parts	Parts	.
Spring	53	33	26	112
Summer	36	51	29	116
Autumn	37	48	40	125
Winter	53	31	26	110
Sum	179	163	121	463

By this Experiment the Adept does prove, that Man, through the Course of the whole year discharges most through the Emuntorium urinale, less through the Cuticularia, and least through the Dejectorium; and that the Excretion increases from the Winter to the Autumn in the following Progression 0/110 2/110 3/110 7 ^1/2/110, from whence all at once it diminishes again from 7 ^1/2/110 to 0/110, which sudden Alteration cannot but cause Inconveniencies unto delicate; and Diseases (if not Death:) unto worn Constitutions.

The human Frame is above compared to an Athanor (: a :) and its Fire to a Balneum Vaporis caused by the several motus: mentis, Toni, Secretionis, Excretionis, and progressivus Sanguinis; the Vapours, excited by these Motions, are confined, or let out profusely by the Pores of the Skin, either too closely shut by their inflamed or left open by their relaxed Glandules, both in an Excess; but when this Glandules are neither inflamed nor relaxed, they have a regular tonic Motion, and ventilate the Body by opening and shutting without ceasing.

(: a :) is a particular Construction of a chymical Oven, which preserves a regular Degree of Heat for several Days, Weeks or Months.