The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-11-30
HOW Lo DOCTORS HIMSELF.
The Red Mans Methods of Treating
Broken Bones and other Injuries.

If, in the depths of the forest, an
Indian breaks his leg or arm, said DIR.
Kingston in his address at the British
Medical association meeting at Not
tingham, splints of softest material
are at once improvised. Straight
branches are cut, of uniform length
and thickness. These are lined with
down-like moss or scrapings or shaw
ings of wood, or with fine twigs inter-
laid with leaves, if in summer; or with
the curled-up leaves of the evergreen,
cedar or hemlock, if in winter; and
the whole is surrounded with withes
of willow or osier or young birch.
Occasionally it is the soft but suffi-
GENTLY unyielding bark of the poplar
or the bass wood. Sometimes, when
near the marshy margin of our lakes
or rivers, the wounded limb is afforded
support with wild hay or reeds of uni
form length and thickness.
To carry a patient to his wigwam or
to an encampment stretcher is quick
ly made of four young saplings inter-
woven at their upper ends, and on this
elastic, springy couch the injured man
is borne away by his companions.
When there are but two persons and
an accident happens to one of them
two young trees of birch or beech or
hickory are used. Their tops are al
lowed to remain to aid in diminishing
the jolting caused by the inequalities
of the ground. No London carriage
maker ever constructed a spring
which could better accomplish the pur-
pose. A couple of crossbars preserve
the saplings in position, and the bark
of the elm or birch cut into broad
bands and joined to either side forms
an even bed. In this way an injured
man is brought by his companion to a
settlement, and often it has been found
on arrival that the fractured bones
are firmly united and the limb is whole
| again. This is effected in less time
than with the whites, for the repara-
tive power of these children of the for
est is remarkable. In their plenitude
of health osseous matter is poured out
in large quantities and firm union is
] soon effected.
The reparative power of the aborig-
ines when injured is equaled by the
wonderful stoicism with which they
bear injuries and infict upon them
selves the severest torture. They are
accustomed to cut into abscesseE with
pointed flint; they light up a fire at a
distance from the affected part (our
counter-irritation); they amputate
limbs with their hunting-knives, ,cEsck-
ing the hemorrhage with heated
stones, as surgeons were accustomed
! to do in Europe in the time of Ambrose
Pare, and sometimes they amputate
| their own limbs with more sang froid
than many young surgeons will dis
play when operating on others. The
stumps of limbs amputated in this
primitive manner are well formed, for
| neatness is the characteristic of all the
Indians handiwork.
The aborigines are familiar with
and practice extensively the use OF
warm lamentations. In every tribe
their old women are credited with the
possession of knowledge of local
bathing with hot water and of medi-
Gated decoctions. The herbs they use
are known to a privileged few and en-
hance the consideration in which their
possessors are held. The Turkish bath,
in simpler but not less effective
form, is well known to them. If one
of their tribe suffers from fever or
from the effects of long exposure to
cold steam bath is readily impro-
vised. The tent of deerskin is tightly
closed, the patient is laid in one cor
ner, heated stones are placed near
him and on these water is poured till
the conGned air is saturated with va
por. Any degree of heat and any de-
gree of moisture can be obtained in
this way. Europeans often avail them
selves of this powerful sudatory wher
suffering from rheumatism. The abo.
rigines have their herbs--a few, not
many. They have their emetics anc
laxatives, astringents and emoilients
all of which are proffered to the suffer
ing without fee or reward.