166 TRAVELS THROUGH LOWER CANADA : 
In my rambles about the islands under 
which we lay at. anchor, I found many speci¬ 
mens of the exuviae of these snakes, which, in 
the opinion of the country people of Upper 
Canada, are very efficacious in the cure of the 
rheumatism, when laid over the part afflicted, 
and fastened down with a bandage. The body 
of the rattlesnake dried to a cinder over the 
fire, and then finely pulverised, and infused 
in a certain portion of brandy, is also said to be 
a never-failing remedy against that disorder. I 
conversed with many people who had made use 
of this medicine, and they were firmly persuad¬ 
ed that they were indebted to it for a speedy 
cure. The liquor is taken inwardly, in the 
quantity of a wine-glass full at once, about three 
times a day. No effect, more than from tak¬ 
ing plain brandy, is perceived from taking this 
medicine on the first day; but at the end of 
the second day, the body of the patient becomes 
suffused with a cold sweat, every one of his 
joints grow painful, and his limbs become 
feeble, and scarcely able to support him ; he 
grows worse and worse for a day or two; but 
by persevering in the use of the medicine for a 
few days, he gradually loses his pains, and re¬ 
covers his wonted strength of body. 
Many different kinds of serpents besides 
rattlesnakes, are found on these islands in Lake 
Erie. I killed several totally different from 
