Skin disorders, rheumatism and a severe kind of influenza were other ailments.
In the absence equally of morality and medical knowledge among their unmarried women, it did not take many years after the appearance of the Whites to taint the race throughout with certain diseases.

A cold-blooded passage in Crozet's journal tells of the beginning of this curse.

Though not altogether unskilful surgeons, the Maoris knew virtually nothing of medicine.

Nor do they show much nervous power when attacked by disease.

Cheerful and sociable when in health, they droop quickly when ill, and seem sometimes to die from sheer lack of the will to live.