New Jerfey, Raccoon. 93 



warn the fcorbutic parts with the water or 

 decoct. This is faid to caufe Tome pain, 

 and even a plentiful difcharge of urine, but 

 it re-eftablifhes the patient. When the 

 children here are plagued with vermin, the 

 women boil this root, put the comb into 

 the decoction, and comb the head with it, 

 and this kills them moft effectually. 



March the 17th. At the firft arrival of 

 the Swedes in this country, and long after 

 that time, it was filled with Indians. But 

 as the Europeans proceeded to cultivate the 

 land, the Indians fold their land, and went 

 further into the country. But in reality 

 few of the Indians really left the country 

 in this manner ; moft of them ended their 

 days before, either by wars among them- 

 felves, or by the fmall-pox, a difeafe which 

 the Indians were unacquainted with before 

 their commerce with the Europeans, and 

 which fince that time has killed incredible 

 numbers of them. For though they can 

 heal wounds and other external hurts, yet 

 they know not how to proceed with fevers, 

 or in general with internal difeafes. One 

 can imagine, how ill they would fucceed 

 with the cure of the fmdl-pox, when as 

 foon as the puftules appeared, they leaped 

 naked into the cold water of the rivers, 

 lakes, or fountains, and either dived over 



head 



