The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-26
" GREAT MEDICINE,y
An Indian WOman's Method of
Treating ChilIs and Fever.

After week or ten days the fever some
what abated, and Peter, taking my double
Darreled rifle by way of armament and half
dozen hard biscuit by way of grub. gave
notice OF two days absence, and bucklino
lis blanket about him went off up the trail.
Late in the evening of the second dav
while l was lying on the bearskin with
swimming brain and a fevered brow. he
came back, but not alone. Two strong. ath
letic squaws, each toting large pack. were
his companions. He introduced them as
"Old Blackblrd SquaW and he gal: nontv
young squaw-sreat medicine"
The elder of the two was about as tOupb.
MISUNDERSTANDING a specimen of aboriginal
uglineSs as l have ever fallen in with. and
making due allowance for difference in ace
the daughter was the perfect model of her
They both cast their loads unceremoniously
aside and the elder proceeded at once TO
business. Watching me closely as she did
so she rolled large handful of leaves in her
hand until they were partially pulverizrd.
then passed them over to the younger
squaw, who soon made pint of very b tier
tea from them which l was told to drink. |
managed to gulp it down, hot and bitter as
ii was, and the old squaw then seized me
without ceremony, packed me Snugly in
bearskin and blankets, after which she and
her daughter, wrapping their own blankets
about them, lay down on either side of me.
crowdiug me in q manner more close than
pleasant.
trust King David's medicine, which an
swered the purpose SO well, was not a
sQuaw, or if she were that she was young
and good looking.
My leathery bellies, however, answered to
help get up copious persDiratiOn, which
was just what they intended, and when |
awOke from the first sound refreshing sleep
| had enjoyed for weeks il was with a cool.
clear head ana limbs free from pain.
With the rise of the sun the COMPOUNDED
ague began to threaten me and Mrs. Black
bird, with the help of her interesting daugh-
ter, proceeded TO take measures for expelling
1t In manner quite as novel and original as
her treatment of fever. First she undid a
bundle of dirty blue cloth and took there
from several bundles of neatly bound minute
tWlgS- l had beard some hard stories of
"whippn' out the ageI" and smelt pretty
extensive mice Immediately, but on the
whole concluded to 90 through, so | suffered
them to dveSt me of my clothing and seize
me firmly by the wrists and made no objec-
ton, even when Mrs. Blackbird began to
apply the switches gently to the bare skin.
Gradually the blows increased in rapidlty
and severity. Old Peter, who had stood by
as spectator al hrSt stepped forward and
seized wrist firmly in each hand, SO sud
! denly that | had no time to object, and the
| whipping Immediately became energetic and
| general Each of the squawS, with switch
| in each hand, We'd with each other in
| torpid blood tried TO dash with answering
| speed through the tingling veins the pain
| became uncomfortable. / was resolved to
| bear all that was asked of me in hope of
radical cure, but the torture was too severe
and | ordered them to desist, trying at
| the same time to wrench myself loose
| from Peter They only laughed and laid
on the harder. l became mad with pain
and went in on my muscle, biting and
| butting furiously at old Peter, ana Civ
ing the leathery females ungallant kicks
| about the ribs and Abdomen proceeding
that made them laugh all the more, and
brought down the switches with increased
vig0r. | entreated and cursed by turns,
| tried bribery and tiattery begged for a rest
| ing spell, and threatened death to the
| party Of conspirators Immediately | got
| loose, but all i'll vain. They flogged me fo11
| time that seemed an age, and only let he
! of when | was too exhausted TO stand alone.
| Then l was again enveloped in skins and
| blankets, when, strange as it may seem.
almost Immediately fell into a deep slumber
from which did not awake until evening.
When | did awake it was with a general
sense of soreness all over the outer man !;
but where was the agur? Gone Com
pletely cured, as well as the fever, although
| had some slight returns of the latter &C.
caslouaily, which always yielded to Indian
treatment, however.-Forcst and Stream.