263 Jn Hijîorical Journal of 



which cures and prevents thefe Difeafes, if it is conftantly 

 ufed (a). 



In acute Difeafes, as in the Pleurify, they work on the Side 

 oppofite the Pain : They apply Cataplafms, which draw, and 

 prevent the Humours from fettling. In the Fever they ufe cold 

 Lotions, with a Decoélion of Herbs, and by this prevent In- 

 flammations and Delirium. They boaft efpecially of the EfFeds 

 of Diet, but they make it confift only in abftaining from certain 

 Aliments, which they efteem hurtful. 



Formerly, they had not the Ufe of Blood-letting, and inftead 

 of it, they ufed Scarifications in the Places where they felt Pain : 

 Then they applied a Sort of Cupping VelTel made of Gourds, 

 which they filled with combuftible Matter, which they 

 fet on Fire. They very commonly ufed feveral Kinds of real 

 Cauftics ; but as they were not acquainted with the Lapis Infer- 

 nalis (the Blue Stone) ^ they ufed inftead of it rotten Wood. 

 At prefent Bleeding fupplies the Place of thefe Operations. In 

 the northern Parts, they frequently ufe Clyllers ; a Bladder 

 ferves them for a Syringe. They have a Remedy againft the 

 Dyfentery, which is almoft always effedual : This is a Juice 

 they fqueezeout of the Extremities of the Branches of the Ce- 

 dar-Tree, after they have been well boiled. 



But their great Remedy, and their great Prefervative againft 

 c . all Difeafes, is Sweating. I have before 

 / ^ea t?ig. ^^ij y^^^ Madam, that at their coming out of 

 the Stove, and while the Sweat runs down from ail Parts, of their 

 Bodies, they go and plunge into a River ; if there is not any near 

 enough, they get fome Body to throw the coldeft Water over them. 

 They frequently fweat only to recover the Fatigue of a Journey, 

 to calm their Spirits, and to enable them the better to difcourfe 

 on Afi^airs. As foon as a Stranger comes into a Cabin, they 

 make a Fire for him, they rub his Feet with Oil, and then they 

 condu6l him to a Stove, where his HoU keeps him Company. 

 They have alfo another Manner of promoting Sweats, which 

 they ufe in certain Diftempers : It confifls in laying the Patient 

 along upon a Kind of Couch, a little elevated, under which they 

 boil, in a Kettle, fome Wood of Epineite^ and Branches of Pine.' 

 The Vapour which arifes from it, caufes a moil: plentiful 

 Sweat (b) : They fay alfo that the Smell is very wholefome. The 

 Sweat of the Stoves, that is procured only by the Vapour of 

 Water poured upon hot Flints, has not this Advantage. 



(a) They have fince talked of a Powder, compofed of three Simples, 

 v^hich a Savage gave to one of our Miflionaries, and which radically cures 

 in a few Days, the mAoft inveterate French Difeafe. 



fl?) This feems to deferve the Attention of the Em'opean Phyficians. 



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