of North Carolina. 373 



f ul of Blood and Serum, but Serum, chiefly, which he spits 

 into the Bowl of Water, by which means he pretends to Suck 

 out what occasions the Distemper. 



Then he begins to mutter and talk apace; and at last to 

 cut Capers and clap his Hands on his Britch and sides till 

 he is all over in a Sweat, which to an European woud not 

 only seem a very odd and strange Sight, but likewise that he 

 was running Mad, every now and then Sucking the Patient, 

 till such time as he gets great quantities of Blood and ill 

 colour'd Matter, out of the Belly, Armes, Breast, Forehead, 

 Temples, Nech, and most other parts of the Body, still con- 

 tinuing his Grimaces and Antick Postures, which to Euro- 

 peans -svoud seem more like the Actions of Men in Bedlam 

 than Doctors attending the Sick. 



At last you will see the Doctor all over in a Sweat, and so 

 feeble, that he is scarce able to stand or utter one Word, 

 having quite spent himself, then he will cease for a while to 

 recruit his Spirits, and begin again, 'till he comes to the 

 same pitch of raving and seeming Madness as before ; during 

 all this time and these performances of the Doctor, the sick 

 Person never so much as moves, although doubtless the Scar- 

 ifying and Sucking must be a great punishment to him. 



But they are the most patient under the Misfortunes of 

 Life, of any People I ever saw in all my Travels: Lastly, 

 the Doctor makes an end, and tells the Patient's Friends 

 whether the sick Person will Live or Dye, and then some 

 one that waits at this Ceremony takes the Blood away (which 

 remains in a Lump in the middle of the Water) and imme- 

 diately Buries it very secretly in the Ground, the Place 

 being unknown to any but he that inters it. 



These 



