Observations on a recently published work, entitled The fever at Boa Vista, unconnected with the visit of the Eclair to that island, by Gilbert King / by J.O. M'William.

  • MacWilliam, John Ormiston, 1808-1862.
Date:
1853
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on a recently published work, entitled The fever at Boa Vista, unconnected with the visit of the Eclair to that island, by Gilbert King / by J.O. M'William. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    ♦ voured to place the case” of Luis Pathi before Dr. King “ in a light different from the truth.” While I utterly disbelieve any dishonesty in John Jamie- son, I would ask, in the name of all that is consistent and nroper, even supposing Dr. King’s accusations against Jamieson to be well founded, how was it that Dr. King after- wards employed a person whom he had discovered exagge- rating and tampering with important evidence, in the ex- clusive investigation of the facts relating fo the outbreak and general history of the fever in Porto Sal Rey. It is not safe for Dr. King to endeavour thus to inculpate Jamieson. I maintain that my account of the outbreak at Rabil is the correct one ; and, in proof, appeal to the evidence of Luis Pathi, and to the evidence of others, in my Report. With regard to Dr. King’s examination of Luis Pathi, it is much to be regretted that it is not published; more espe- cially as few can claim the power which he possesses, namely, that of knowing what is passing at the distance of nearly 2000 miles; for, at p. 43, he says, “ Luis Pathi is asked, (by Dr. M‘William,) in the most bland and insinuating man- ner, and with a heart no doubt overflowing with benevo- lence, ‘ Did you not take some small article of clothing which you got on board the Eclair with you to Rabil?’ ”(a) Although Dr. King has not given us an opportunity of knowing how he shaped his questions to Pathi, or what were the precise answers returned, he has not only given the words of my question regarding the coverlet, but the manner in which it was put. It is not easy to understand how Dr. King came to this knowledge, but it is sometimes observed that individuals to whom nature has been stinted in the allotment of the facul- ties in general are gifted with an unusual development of some faculty in particular. Is it upon some such principle of compensation as this that Dr. King has been endowed with the marvellous property of “ clairvoyance ” ? Dr. King’s essay at topographical description in no way im- proves his case at Rabil. A reference to the map will show that Moradinha must still remain in the ravine, and Cabe- cada and Boaventura must continue high above the ravine, just as I placed them. “Chao de Luz,” or, as Dr. King calls it, “ Chain de Losna,” is simply a small row of houses in Boaventura.(b) (a) Dr. King wishes to make it appear (p. 44 of his recent work) that Pathi was not carried home from Moradinha. Let me refer my readers to the evidence of Pathi himself; to that of Manoel da Silva Marques, who assisted to carry him; and to that of Jose Marques, who states, that Pathi was brought heme.—Dr. M‘William’s Report, p. 42. (b) It is to be regretted that Dr. King, before giving in his Report, did not get some one acquainted with the Portuguese language to see to the orthography of the names of places and persons. A Portuguese will hardly
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