The Journals of Lewis & Clark: Clark, May 24, 1806

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Clark, May 24, 1806

Saturday 24th May 1806

a fine morning the Child was very restless last night its jaw and back of its neck is much more Swelled than it was yesterday. I gave it a dost of Creme of Tarter and a fresh Poltice of Onions. ordered Shields, Gibson, Drewyer, Crusat, Collins, and Jo. & rubin Fields to turn out hunting and if possible Cross Collins Creek and hunt towards the quar mash fields. W. Brattin is yet very low he eats hartily but he is So weak in the Small of his back that he Can't walk. we have made use of every remidy to restore him without it's haveing the desired effect. one of our party, John Shields observed that he had Seen men in Similar Situations restored by Violent Swets. and bratten requested that he might be Swetted in the way Sheilds purposed which we agreed to. Shields dug a round hole 4 feet deep & 3 feet Diamuter in which he made a large fire So as to beet the hole after which the fire was taken out a Seet placed in the hole. the patent was then Set on the Seat with a board under his feet and a can of water handed him to throw on the bottom & Sides of the hole So as to create as greate a heat as he Could bear. and the hole covered with blankets supported by hoops. after about 20 minits the patient was taken out and put in Cold water a few minits, & returned to the hole in which he was kept about 1 hour. then taken out and Covered with Several blankets, which was taken off by degrees untill he became Cool. this remedy took place yesterday and bratten is walking about to day and is much better than he has been. at 11 A.M. a canoe came down with the Indian man who had applyed for medical assistance while we lay at the broken arms village. this man I had given a fiew doses of Flower of Sulpher & Creme of Tarter and derected that he Should take the Cold bath every morning. he Conceited himself a little better than he was at that time. he had lost the use of all his limbs and his fingers are Contracted. We are at a loss to deturmine what to do for this unfortunate man. I gave him a few drops of Lodman and Some portable Supe as medisine. 4 of our men Crossed the river and went to the broken arms Village and returned in the evening with a Supply of bread and roots which they precured in exchange for Awls which were made of pieces of a chane- we were visited to day by the 2 young men who gave Capt. L. and my Self a horse each at the village. those men Stayed about two hours and returned to their village. this day proved to be very worm.