THE WESTERN COUNTRY 285 



important, and I am almost certain that with the pas- 

 sage of time nothing will be brought to light, if as is 

 the case, outright specifics are looked for and presum- 

 ably infallible remedies. I do not therefore deny in 

 any way that we must thank the northern half of 

 America for sundry medicaments of value, and I ap- 

 prehend as well that every new remedy must be to the 

 patriotic American physican a treasured contribution 

 to his domestic medical store. Most of the diseases 

 for the healing of which the skill of the Indians is 

 especially praised are simple, those in which nature 

 may work actively and effect the most salutary changes. 

 The variety of diseases among the Indians is not 

 great and is confined chiefly to fevers and superficial 

 injuries. The observers and panegyrists of the so 

 much belauded Indian methods of therapy are com- 

 monly ignorant people who find things and circum- 

 stances wonderful because they cannot offer explana- 

 tions from general principles. The bodily constitution 

 of an Indian, hardened from youth by vehement ex- 

 ercise and by many difficult feats, demands and bears 

 stronger medical excitants ; and endowed originally 

 with more elasticity, the physical system of an Indian 

 often rids itself of a malady more promptly than that 

 of a European, weaker and softer, is able to do. Their 

 weaklings succumb in early youth, and those who sur- 

 vive all the hardships of a careless bringing-up owe it 

 to their better constitution. The medicines of which 

 they make 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 maybe two 

 days without stop. The most of their praised specifics 



