264 Expedition to the 



powwow over them, rattle their gourds and sing, whilst they 

 chew roots, and blow out the fragments and saliva on the 

 part. But the efficient practice in cases of wounds of this na- 

 ture, is their system of depuration by means of suction ; they 

 apply their lips to the wound and draw out the pus as it is 

 secreted ; by this mode of treatment they seem to be very 

 successful in the cure of gun-shot wounds. 



Amputation of limbs is not practised in their surgery. 



The wound produced by the arrow, is treated much in the 

 same manner with that of the gun-shot, after the weapon is 

 thrust through the part, in the direction in which it entered ; 

 or, if this cannot be accomplished, the arrow is withdrawn, 

 and the head or point being very slightly attached to the 

 shaft, remains in the body, unless the wound is superficial, in 

 which case it is cut out with a knife. 



A broken limb is extended to its place, and enveloped with 

 a leathern strap ; the union generally takes place promptly, 

 but the member usually remains more or less bent or crooked. 



They have no rational mode of treating the scalp wound. 

 A squaw who had been scalped, covered the part, after its 

 edges had healed, with a peruke made of bison hair, until 

 the hair on the other parts of her head became of sufficient 

 length to conceal the deformity. 



Dislocated members are reduced by extension, but with so 

 little art, that they are frequently unsuccessful, and the limb 

 remains permanently disjointed. 



The Omawhaws are entirely destitute of all condiments, 

 with the exception of salt, which, however, in their eating 

 they rarely use. 



Confirmed insanity appears to be unknown. 



Every person, in any degree conversant with Indian man- 

 ners and customs, is struck with their proneness to that most 

 abominable and degrading of all vices, intoxication from the 

 use of spirituous liquors. The Missouri Indians, collectively, 

 form no exception to this general trait. A member of the 



