NORTH WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA.

*
tion to thofe diforders and accidents to which man is liable in every part

133

1792.
December.

of the globe, in the diftant wildernefs, as in the peopled city. They had —-yv—~

not the leaft acquaintance with that primitive medicine which confifts in
an experience of the healing virtues of herbs and plants, and is frequently
found among uncivilifed and favage nations. This circumftance now
obliged me to be their phyfician and furgeon, as a woman with a {welled
breaft, which had been lacerated with flint ftones for the cure of it, pre+
fented herfelf to my attention, and by cleanlinefs, poultices, and healing
falve, I fucceeded in producing a cure. One of thefe people alfo, who was
at work in the woods, was attacked with a fudden pain near the firft joint
of his thumb, which difabled him from holding anaxe. On examining
his arm, I was aftonifhed to find a narrow red ftripe, about half an inch
wide, from his thumb to his fhoulder; the pain was violent, and accom-
panied with chillinefs and fhivering. This was a cafe that appeared to be
beyond my fkill, but it was neceflary to do fomething towards relieving
the mind of the patient, though I might be unfuccefsful in removing his
complaint. I accordingly prepared a kind of volatile liniment of rum
and foap, with which I ordered his arm to be rubbed, but with little or
no effeG@. He was in a raving ftate throughout the night, and the red
firipe not only encreafed, but was alfo accompanied with the appear-
ance of feveral blotches on his body, and pains in his ftomach: the
propriety of taking fome blood from him now occurred to me, and I ven-
tured, from abfolute neceffity, to perform that operation for the firft time,
and with an effe€t that juftified the treatment. The following night
afforded him reft, and in a fhort time he regained his former health and
a€tivity.

I was