SCHOPF AMERICAN TRAVELS. 



use are few and simple, potent naturally or through the heaviness of 

 the dose. A mild repeated purgative the Indian knows nothing of, 

 and with him the effect must continue at least a day or ijiaybe two 

 days without stop. The most of their praised specifics are purgatives, 

 perspiratives, or urine-stimulants, which they use not sparingly at 

 the first approach of disease, and in this way often check the progress 

 of the malady. But success does not always attend the treatment. 

 Certainly, cases enough occur where the prescription is agreeable to 

 the malady, and great benefit is suddenly experienced. Such instances 

 are then noised abroad imtil the story of one and the same case be- 

 comes so varied and magnified that it is regarded as a daily and hourly 

 occurrence, proof of the medical skill of the Indians, and so the crav- 

 ing after their mysteries is continually renewed and maintained. On 

 the other hand, it is not remarked how many Indians fall unhappy 

 sacrifices to their over-praised methods of cure. It is not observed 

 that inflammatory fevers, small-pox, and other violent diseases ravage 

 unspeakably among them, because their received methods can effect 

 nothing in such cases, more than chance being necessary in the treat- 

 ment. It is not observed how most of their chronic patients leave the 

 world as a result of carelessness and miskilful handling. The Indian, 

 when he falls ill, has recourse first to his roots and sacredly regarded 

 herbs ; he purges and sweats inordinately ; fasts for days together ; 

 leaps into cold water, and submits to conjurings. Should he conquer 

 his disease by rousing another well and good, the medicines have 

 done it. But should these first general means prove in vain, he knows 

 not what to do further, uses promiscuously what strikes his fancy, 

 and chance not being favorable to him, gives. himself up to despair 

 and his destiny. And what should lead us to think that a people as 

 rude as the Indians, so heedless and without foresight, could be more 

 fortunate in the discovery of specifics and more successful in apply- 

 ing them than nations which by their united efforts and assembled 

 experiments have not yet learned how to work wonders? Or why 

 are we to believe that the American soil is more beneficent than the 

 rest of the earth in the bringing forth of specific means? The Indian 

 lives truer to nature, if living wild and unconstrained may be so called. 

 His way of life subjects him to a number of miseries ; he suffers alter- 

 nately the extremes of hunger and fullness, cold and heat, activity and 

 relaxation, all which must work in his body powerful and mischievous 

 changes. Is he exposed to fewer diseases merely because he has less 

 knowledge and skill in the treatment of them? Civilized nations live 

 softer and more meticulously, and bring upon themselves a greater 

 number of maladies. But also are they not able to remove or alleviate 

 a greater number of maladies, and to prolong the lives of weaklings, 

 who elsewhere perish? But however true these things are, and how- 

 ever grounded the charge that the Indians jealously keep secret their 

 specific and wonder-working remedies, the burden of accusation is 

 in some measure lessened by their generous readiness to produce with- 

 out reward their manifold roots, barks, and herbs for the behoof of 

 those needing aid, even if they do not indicate whence they got them. 

 They show at least no selfish and mercenary views, which are the 



12 



