( *72 ) 



ledge of fimples, on experience, and as is done 

 every where elfe, on the circurnftances of the cafe, 

 but very rarely without a mixture of fuperftition 

 and quackery, of which the vulgar are conftantly 

 the dupes. 



There is, perhaps, no fet of men in the world 

 more fo to thefe impoff.ures, than the Indians, 

 though there are very few who are under lefs ne- 

 ceflky of having recourfe to phylick. They are 

 not only aim oft all of a found and robuft conftitu- 

 tion, but were utterly unacquainted with moft of 

 the difeafes to which we are fubjecl, before we had 

 commerce with them. They knew not what the 

 I'm all -pox was when they got it from us, and we 

 can only attribute the prodigious ravages it has 

 made amongft them to their ignorance. The gout, 

 the gravel, ftone and apoplexy, with a number of 

 other evils fo common in Europe, are not yet 

 known in this part of North-America, at leaft a- 

 mongft the natives. 



It is true, thofe excefTes committed in their 

 feails, and in their outrageous failings, occafion 

 pains and weaknefles in the bread and flomach, 

 which carry off great numbers of them; many 

 young perfons alfo die of the confumption, which 

 they pretend, is a confluence of the exceflive 

 fatigue and violent exercifes to which they expofe 

 themfcJves from their infancy, and before they are 

 able to fupport them. It is a folly to believe with 

 fome, that their blood is of a colder nature than 

 ours, and to attribute to this, their pretended in- 

 fenfibility in torments ; but it is extremely bal- 

 famick, which proceeds, no doubt, from their 

 not ufing any fait or high feafonings in their 

 diet. 



They 



