The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-11-26
REMEDIES oE REDSKINS.

Ambulance, Surgery. FomentatIons and
Steam Baths 49, Small knowledge oi
Herbs.
IT, in the depths of the forest, an In.
dian breaks his leg or arm (said DIR.
Kingston in his address at the British
Medical association meeting at Noting
ham), splints Of softest material are at
once improviscd. Straight branches are
cut of uniform length and thickness.
These are lined with downlille moss or
scrapings or shavings of wood, or with
fine twigs interlaid with leaves, II in
summer, or with the curled-up leaves
of the evergreen cedar or hcmlock IL in
winter and the whole is surrounded
with withes of willow, or osier, or
young birch. Occasionally it is the soft
but sufficiently unyielding bark of the
poplar or the bass wood. Sometimes,
when near the marshy margi, of our
lakes or rivers, the wounded limb is af-
forded support with wild hay or reeds
of uniform length and thickness.
To carry 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 allowed to re-
main to aid in diminishing the jolting
caused by the inequalities of the ground
No London carriage maker ever con-
structed spring which could better ac.
| complish the purpose. A couple OF
crossbars preserve the saplings in posi-
ton, 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 ii
| has been found on arrival that the frac-
tured bones are firmly united and the
limb is whole again. This is effected
in less time than with the whites, for
the reparative power of these children
of the forest is remarkable. In their
plentitude of health, osseous matter is
poured out in large quantity 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 intlict upon themselve:
the severest torture They are accus
toned to cut into assesses with pointed
| flint; they light up a fire at distance
from the affected part (our counter
irritation); they amputate limbs with
their hunting knives checking the hem
Drrhage with heated stones, as surgeons
were accustomed to do in Europe in thC
time of Ambrose Pare, and sometimes
they amputate their own limbs with
more sang froid than many young sur
geons will display when operating or
others. The stumps of limbs amputatet
in this primitive manner are wei
formed, for neatness is the character
istic of all the Indians handiworll.
The aborigines are familiar with ant
practice extensively the use of warn
lamentations. In every tribe their oil,
women are credited with the possession
of knowledge of local bathing wit
hot water and of medicated decoctions
The herbs they use are known to priv
ileged few and enhance the considera
]
The Turkish bath, in a simpler bu
not less effective form, is well know
to them. If one of their tribe suffer
from fever or from the effects of Ion
exposure to cold steam bath is rcadil
improvised. The tent of dee skin
tightly closed, the patient is placed i
one corner, heated stones are place
near him, and on these water is poure
until the confined air is saturated vapol
Any degree of heat and any degree {
moisture can be obtained in this way
Europeans often avail themselves {
this powerful sudatory when sufferin
from rheumatism.
The aborigines have their herbs
few, not many. They have their emetic
and laXatives, astringents and emo
lients-all of which are proffered to tn
suffering without fee or reward. Th
Indian teas" "Indian balsams," an
other Indian ''cure-alls"-the virtue {
which it sometimes takes columns {
the daily journals to chronicle-are nc
theirs. To the white man is left thi
species of deception. Chicago Times.