82 BUKEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 43 



tween the efficacy of European and Indian physicians than would 

 be the case at present. 

 He says: 



For some days I had had a lachrymal fistula In the left eye which gave out 

 when it was pressed a humor of very bad augury. I had it looked at by 

 M. de S. Hilaire, a skillful surgeon, who had worked about twelve years at 

 the Hotel-Dieu de Paris. 



He told me that it would be necessary to use fire on it ; that in spite of this 

 operation my sight would not be at all affected; that it would be as good as 

 before, except that my eye would be bloodshot, and that if I did not have it 

 operated on promptly the bone of the nose would decay. 



These statements grieved me nnich, I liaving to fear and to suffer. I was, 

 however, resolved to go tlirough with it, when the great Sun and his brother 

 arrived early in the morning with a man loaded with game for me. I thanked 

 them, and told them that they must remain and eat their part of it. They 

 accepted the invitation. 



The gi'eat Sun perceived that I had an enlargement about the eye, and asked 

 me at the same time what it was. I told him, and explained that to cure it they 

 had told me that it was necessary to put fire to it, but that I had made up my 

 mind to it with difficulty, because I dreaded the consequences. He answered 

 nothing, and without forewarning me he ordered the one who had brought the 

 game to go and bring his doctor, and to tell him that he was waiting for him at 

 my house. On account of the diligence of the messenger and the doctor, the 

 latter arrived an hour latei'. The great Sun told him to look at my eye and 

 to make an endeavor to cure me. After having examined it the doctor said 

 that lie could cure it with simples and water. I gave him permission with 

 so much the more pleasure and facility, as thi'ough this treatment I did not 

 run any risk. 



The same evening tlie doctor came with his simples pounded together, and 

 making but a single ball, which he placed in a deep basin with water. He made 

 me bend my head over into the basin, so that my sick eye, held open, was 

 steeped in the water. I continued doing this for eight or ten days, evening and 

 morning, after which I was entirely cured without another operation and with- 

 out it being evident there, and I never had another attack afterward.** 



It is easy to learn by this account, comments Du Pratz — 



How skillful are the native doctors of Louisiana. I have seen them make 

 surprising cures on our Frenchmen themselves, on two, among others, who 

 were placed in the liands of a French surgeon who was established at this 

 post. These two sick persons had to take strong remedies, but after having 

 been treated for some time their heads were so swollen that one of them 

 escaped from the surgeon with as much agility as would a criminal from the 

 hands of justice, if he found a favorable opporluiiily. He went lo find a 

 Natchez doctor who healed him in eight days. His comrade remained with 

 the French surgeon, where he died three days after the flight of the first, 

 whom I saw three years afterward enjoying ])erfect health. 



In the war which I narrated last the Great Chief of the Tonikas, our 

 allies, was wounded by a l)all which pierced his clieek and came out under 

 the jaw to I'eenter the body, wliere it was on the point of going out toward the 

 shoulder blade, and had remained between the skin and flesh. His wound was 

 disposed in such a manner because at the time when they shot bin) he had 



"Du Pratz, Hist, de La Louisiane, i, 207-209. 



