Rocky Mountains. 261 



culse, after some time appear in the eye, which enlarge, un- 

 till they cover it entirely, and prevent the ingress of light. 

 It is probable that they possessed no rational remedy for 

 this evil, previously to their acquaintance with the traders, 

 excepting the extracting of blood from the temple, by their 

 process of cupping ; the traders, however, have taught them 

 to remove the opacity, by blowing burnt alum into the eye 

 through a quill, a remedy so familiar in the veterinary art. 

 To this disease children as well as adults are obnoxious. 



Another ophthalmia, which also results in the destruction 

 ,of the faculty of vision, commences with a superabundant 

 secretion of the fluid of the lachrymal duct, succeeded by 

 inflammation of the lids ; the sight becomes gradually debilita- 

 ted, until at length the pupil assumes an opake white appear- 

 ance ; probably fistula lachrymalis. 



Temporary blindness, which sometimes eventuates in per- 

 manent loss of sight, occurs during the winter, to incautious 

 travellers who pass over the prairies covered with snow, 

 from which the solar light is so brilliantly reflected. A par- 

 ty, that accompanied Mr. Dougherty on a journey, being 

 thus exposed, became unable to distinguish objects, and had 

 not his sight been preserved, they might never have regained 

 their stockade. 



The blind are not neglected by their family and friends ; 

 on the contrary, we had several opportunities of observing 

 them to be well clothed and fed, and much at their ease. 

 When superannuated, however, they are not exempted from 

 the fate attendant on that state. 



An affection, or pain in the breast, distinguished by the 

 name of Mong-ga-ne-a, seems to be the consequence of ex- 

 cessive indulgence in tobacco, and the habitual inhaling of the 

 smoke of it, into the lungs. In their attempts to alleviate 

 this complaint, the magi affect to extract from the part, by 

 suction, balls and pellets of hair, and other extraneous sub- 

 stances, which they had previously concealed in their mouths, 

 for the purpose of deceiving the patient. 



