Original - North Central Michigan College Library

the medical skill for which it was pleased togive me credit.The physician (so to call him) seated himselfon the ground; and before him on a new stroudblanket was placed a basin of water in whichwere three bones, the larger ones, as itappearedto me, of a swan's wing. In his hand he had hisshishiquoi, or rattle, with which he beat time tohis medicine-song. The sick child lay on a blanketnear the physician. She appeared to havemuch fever, and a. severe oppression of thelungs, breathing with difficulty, and betrayingsymptoms of the last stage of consumption.After singing for some time the physiciantook one of the bones out of the basin: thebone was hollow; and one end being applied tothe breast of the patient, he put the other intohis mouth in order to remove the disorder bysuction. Having persevered in this as longas he thought proper, he suddenly seemed toforce the bone into his mouth and swallow it.He now acted the part of one suffering severepain; but presently finding relief, he made along speech, and after this returned to singing,and to the accompaniment of his rattle. Withthe latter, during his song, he struck his head,breast, sides and back; at the same time strainingas if to vomit forth the bone.Relinquishing this attempt, he appliedhimself to suction a second time, and with thesecond of the three bones; and this also hesoon seemed to swallow.118