SOURCE or ST. PETER S RIVER. 129 



mony of his amity to the species, leaves a piece of tobacco 

 near the carcase. The fang of the snake is held to be a 

 charm against rheumatism and other internal pains ; the 

 mode of applying it consists in scratching the affected part 

 until it bleeds. In their rude midwifery, they use the rat- 

 tle to assist in parturition ; it is then administered inter- 

 nally ; it is not, however, used as an emmenagogue. Leprosy 

 is known among' them, and has been observed under some 

 of its most horrible features. In a case, known to Dr. Hall, 

 the patient required some one to be constantly scraping 

 his body and limbs with a knife. A double handful of 

 furfuraceous matter was daily discharged ; he died in the 

 course of six months ; his feet had turned as black as gun- 

 powder. 



Fevers are common among the Potawatomis, and are 

 either bilious, intermittent, remittent or continued ; they 

 afflict most those who follow the game to the interior of 

 the country; while those who reside along the shores of 

 the lake enjoy much better health. The Indians observe 

 that the easterly winds are the most wholesome, the 

 southerly produce dullness and laziness, the north wind is 

 too cold, and that from the west is veiy uncomfortable. 

 Haepatitis is not common ; when it occurs, it is relieved by 

 repeated vomiting until the bile is completely evacuated ; if 

 the bile be not discharged, the white of the eye turns yellow, 

 and continues so until death ensues. Hydrocephalus and 

 dropsy are, itseems, unknown to them. Small Pox is frequent, 

 but is always introduced by white men ; it does not, how- 

 ever, commit any great depredation ; at one time it raged 

 among them, and proved disastrous and incurable. Its 

 evil effects were suspended by the introduction of the 

 practice of inoculation and vaccination, which Little Turtle 

 made known to them. Having never known the small 



Vol. I. 17 



