3S PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1724. 



and then covered him over with the rest of the turf, more especially on his 

 side, where the seat of his pain was ; but they laid none on his breast or head; 

 they then covered him with blankets, to keep the heat in. While the father 

 was in this bath, the son gave him warm cordials, to prevent fainting, which 

 he was in great danger of. After he had lain thus about a of an hour, which 

 was as long as he could bear it, he was put naked into the bed very well 

 warmed, where, in a few minutes, he fell asleep, and sweat to that degree, 

 that it ran through his pillow and bed, upon the floor. After about 1 hours 

 sleep, they dried him, and put him on warm cloaths, and the old gentleman 

 found himself much eased ;md refreshed. This was in the morning; and before 

 night, he walked about the house comfortably, his pain being in a manner all 

 gone. The next day the doctor repeated his cordials, and the 4th day he 

 sweated his father a 2d time, in the same manner as above ; and the next, viz. 

 the 5th day, he went abroad about his business, and lived 1 1 years afterwards 

 in perfect health, and free from pain. The doctor tells me, great care must 

 be taken that the patient do not lie too long in the turf, and that even a quarter 

 of an hour may be sufficient for some persons; and whenever the patient begins 

 to fetch his breath short, or faint, he must be put to bed immediately, and the 

 physician, or operator, must by no means omit his cordials. 



Houses to sweat in were common among the aborigines, when the English 

 first came into New England, though now but little used. A gentleman of 

 the island of Nantucket, where the Indians sometimes practise it, even at this 

 day, or did very lately, gives the following relation. 



The cave was usually 4 feet high, and about 8 feet diameter; the roof sup- 

 ported with sticks or boards, covered with earth; it was dug in the side of 

 a hill, and as near as could be to some river, pond, or place of water : the 

 entrance into this cave was small, and the door, when any person was sweating, 

 was covered with a blanket or skin; near the cave they make a good large fire, 

 and heat a parcel of stones, to the quantity of 5cwt. and roll them in red-hot, 

 piling them up in the middle of the cave; when this is done, the Indians go in 

 naked, and sit round the heated stones as many as please ; as soon as they 

 begin to grow faint, which may be in a quarter of an hour, they come out, 

 and plunge themselves all over in the water for a minute or two, and then in 

 again, as long as they can well bear it, and so in the water a 2d time, and then 

 dress themselves. This has been used with success for colds, surfeits, scia- 

 ticas, and pains fixed in the limbs; and even the English have often found 

 relief by it. The Indians often used it before, and after long journies, hunt 

 ing or voyages, to strengthen and refresh themselves. 



