have not met with a case of Hunterian chancre; but ulcerations, sometimes scrofulous phagedænic, are common;—of the morbi testis, two consisted of scrofulous hypertrophy: the morbus cordis were dilatation of the right side, the case of Fungus is severe, but I cannot call it Fungus hæmatodes. The Hydrops pericardii is of five years standing and followed pericarditis; the melancholic patient on admission was verging on the monomaniacal; the laryngeal and pulmonary phthises were hopeless cases, and the latter must ere this have ended fatally. The subject of Ambustio, was a young child and its severity preluded hope from the first.

Phthisis pulmonalis tuberculosæ does not appear to be of very frequent occurrence, but extreme cases of tracheal and pulmonary disease simulating it are constantly met with.

Out of two hundred aborigines, taken promiscuously, twenty-one were found to have glandular swellings, or cicatrices, from their suppuration, in the neck.

Malacosteon has not been observed, but distortion of the vertebral column from caries, is occasionally seen, and two cases of talipes are known, in one of which the gastrocnemii are reduced to the mere fasciæ, and progression effected on the hands and knees.

Chorea, epilepsy and cretinism are unheard of, but insanity is far from rare, and derangement of the mental functions without febrile excitement often occurs in the progress of chronic disease. Apoplexia, more or less severe, is frequent during the warm months, and sometimes fatal.

Defective vision from deposits of lymph on the cornea is now and then complained of, but total blindness is uncommon. Dysæma occasionally presents itself, a common cause being absence of cleanliness, and two cases of mutius surdorum have been witnessed.

Hernia umbilicalis is common, other forms rare. I have met with but one (double inguinal protrusion) from malformed abdominal parieties.

Calculus is unknown, and renal disease, though reported frequent by the aborigines, who mistake other affections for it, is in reality rare.

The process of parturition is nearly always safe, as regards the mother, but the child’s life is not unfrequently lost. Abortion sometimes takes place, and menorrhagia, dysmenorrhæa and irregular menstruation require occasional attention. The usual catamenæal period is at the age of ten.

The natives do not appear to be blessed with a very long life, very few being met with whose ages exceed sixty-five.

I have seen no monstrosities in the district, and but one Albino.

In the above category, nothing has been said relative to scrofula beyond its being a frequent cause of death, because it so universally prevails, that the native constitution may be said to be essentially scrofulous. It cannot arise from intermarriages in the same family, they not being practised; nor from lues venerea, the state of constitution and those suffering from it, generally disqualifying them for reproduction. Deficient clothing, bad lodging, improper diet, and the humid atmosphere of an unimproved country, may be considered the remote causes of this and nearly every other disease afflicting the race. Previous to the commencement of a journey no preparation is made against weather, but the chance of arriving at, or being enabled to erect some temporary shelter alone depended on. In their trading visits to the town they pass the night, even at mid-winter, without any other protection than a miserable fire, round which they huddle, and should rain descend, a blanket or other garment, is taken from the person and erected into a sort of tent. Yet, in order to be near their market, they prefer this wretchedness to the comparative comfort of Pātiki pē, which is within a very short distance.

Before closing the Report, it may be necessary to mention that the old superstitions of ‘Atua’ and ‘Taipo’ (exciting spirits of disease) pass away wherever ever Christian doctrines are received. All the patients who have been hitherto received into the hospital happen to be believers, and the only cases in which the old notion was adhered to was that of melancholia, which circumstance in a civilized person would be pathognomonic of the disorder.

On the subject of Epizootics I have nothing to state worthy of interest.

George Rees, M.D.,
Colonial Surgeon,
Whangānui.

July 29th, 1851.