28 On the Management of the Scalped-Head. 



ing on the different garrisons, which were embodied on 

 the then frontiers of Holsten, to guard the inhabitants 

 against the depradutions of the Cheerake- Indians. This 

 Doctor Vance came from Augusta-County, in Virginia. 

 In March of the same year, Frederick Calvit was badly 

 wounded, and nearly the whole of his head skinned. 

 Doctor Vance was sent for, and staid several days with 

 him. The skull-bone was quite naked, and began to 

 turn black in places, and, as Doctor Vance was about 

 to leave Calvit, he directed me, as Lwas stationed in the 

 same fort with him, to bore his skull as it got black, and 

 he bored a few holes himself, to show the manner of do- 

 ing it. I have found, that a flat pointed straight awl is 

 the best instrument to bore with, as the skull is thick, 

 and someyrhat difficult to penetrate. When the awl is 

 nearly through, the instrument should be borne more 

 lightly upon. The time to quit boring is when a red- 

 dish fluid appears on the point of the awl. I bore, at 

 first, about one inch apart, and, as the flesh appears to 

 rise in those holes, I bore a number more between the 

 first. The flesh will rise considerably above the skull, 

 and sometimes raise a black scale from it, about the 

 thickness of common writing paper. It is well to assist 

 in getting off" the scales of bone with the awl. These 

 scales are often as large as a dollar, and sometimes even 

 t\\ice as large . *. 



It will take, at least, two weeks from the time of bor- 

 ing for it to scale. When the scale is taken off" at a pro- 

 per time, all beneath it will appear flesh, like what we 

 call proud-flesh, and as if there was no bone under ii, 



