398 The Natural Historg 



it Hill it is red hot, then they lay the Patient on his Back, 

 and place a piece of thin Leather on his Belly, between the 

 Pit of the Stomach and the Xavel, so press the hot Reed on 

 the Leather, which burns the Patient to that degree, that 

 they ever after have the Impression of the Reed wherever it 

 was laid : This Method is sometimes used amongst them for 

 the Belly Ach. 



The Plague was never kno^ni amongst the Indians that I 

 could ever learn; yet the Small Pox, their continual AVars 

 with each other, their poysoning, and several other Distem- 

 pers and Methods amongst them, and particularly their 

 drinking Rum to excess, have made such gTcat destruction 

 amongst them, that I am well informed, that there is not 

 the tenth Indian in number, to what there was sixty Years 

 ago. 



They have a kind of Rheumatism, which generally afflicts 

 their Legs with grievous Pains, and violent Heats; whilst 

 they are thus tortured, they employ the young People contin- 

 ually to power cold Water upon the part aggTived, 'till such 

 time as the Pains are abated, and they become perfectly 

 easy, using no other Method for this kind of Disorder. 



They are never troubled with the Scurvy, neither are they 

 afflicted with the Dropsy, Diabetes, Gout, Stone, PthisicJc, 

 Consumption, Asthma, or Palsie, which Distempers are too 

 well known amongst us, and frequently attended with most 

 fatal Consequences. Neither is the Struma to be met with 

 amongst them, and many other European Distempers too 

 tedious to name. 



They have several Pemcdies which thoy use for the Too^- 

 ach, which frequently carries oif the Pain; but if all their 

 Endeavours should fail, they have recourse to punching out 

 the Tooth, which is done with a small Cane placed against it, 



on 



