Facts relating to health and medical
practice among the Indians arc diffi¬
cult to acquire or evaluate. Since the
early Indian of North Carolina had no
written language and hence no written
record our knowledge is drawn largely
from the accounts of travellers, of¬
ficials. missionaries, land speculators,
naturalists, and traders. John Lawson
was the most articulate of the early
chroniclers, and his fascinating His¬
tory of North Carolina, first published
in London in 1709 is a rich source of
local Indian lore.
Epidemics were unknown until the
white man came. NVc know for certain
his arrival brought smallpox, yellow
fever, and tuberculosis. Of these dis¬
eases smallpox wrought the greatest
havoc, and was introduced into the
new world by Spanish soldiers who
came over in one of Columbus's ex¬
peditions. In 1738 or 1739. according
to Adair, smallpox brought to North
Carolina by slave ship broke out
among the Cherokccs with such ter¬
rible effect that nearly half the tribe
was destroyed. In an attempt to com¬
bat this new and strange disease the
Cherokccs employed a universal pana¬
cea. namely: cold plunge baths in a
running stream. The effect was dis¬
astrous; even the few who might have
survived succumbed. "Hundreds of
warriors committed suicide on behold¬
ing their frightful disfigurement, shoot¬
ing themselves, cutting their throats,
stabbing themselves with knives or
sharp pointed canes, or throwing them¬
selves with sullen madness into their
fires"
Among endemic diseases "A Dis¬
temper much like the Lucs Venerea,"
is described. ". . . all symptoms of the
Pox, being different in this only, for
I never could learn, that this Country-
Distemper, or yawes. is begun or con¬
tinued with a Gonorrhea, yet attended
with nocturnal Pains in the Limbs, and
commonly makes such a Progress as
to vent Part of the Matter by Botches,
and several Ulcers in the Body, and
other Parts, oftentimes Death en¬
suing."
The North Carolina Indian phy¬
sician was, as in many primitive cul¬
tures. a combination priest, sorcerer,
magician, herb doctor, and dispenser of
witchcraft. There is no evidence that
the Indian doctor, so-called, knew or
understood any aspect of scientific
medicine, even after exposure to the
European invasion. His ministrations
were purely empiric, and for these he
commanded respect, enjoyed blind
Treoting the lick. Left,
о
potient ij bled, end if young ond uiuolly odi»e, the blood n gi.cn
to
о
prcgnonl womon to drink. Cento, curing infection with tobocco smoke. Right, purging ond
fumigotion. After Lc Moyne.
Indian Medicine in
Early North Carolina
Ry w \hm:h wells, ii.il
t ’. N. C. School of Medicine
(Coxlraiea from »n aitlrle la llw ~Bu]loio~i
A sorcceer or medicine man. After Honor.
THE STATE. MARCH B. 1958
I I
