A LABRADOR SPRING 
coast soon lost their energy and bodily strength 
and became prone to attacks of influenza, 
consumption and rheumatism. He speaks of 
a party of fifteen Nascaupees who had visited 
the coast at Seven Islands two years before, 
to see the robe noir. Seven of these had died, 
four had gone back to their own wilds, and, of 
the four that remained, all were very weak 
and one died while he was there. Hind at- 
tributed the illness and deaths on the coast 
to the unaccustomed climate, not recognizing 
the true cause of infection from the whites. 
But on the coast, he says, “‘ the damp pene- 
trates to his bones; he sits shivering over a 
smoky fire, loses heart, and sinks under the 
repeated attacks of influenza brought on by 
changes in the temperature.” 
When my profession was discovered by the 
Indians, I was in frequent demand, and was 
asked to prescribe for several patients whom I 
found to be far advanced in consumption. A 
pleasanter case to remember was that of a 
young Indian who told me that for two months 
he could not see out of one of his eyes; it 
caused him no pain whatever, and his only 
regret was that he could see the girls only 
178 
