3. There is a peculiarity even in their pulmonary disorders not usual in the European; there is not that straining, distressing cough which Europeans labor under; the phlegm comes free without much exertion and pain to the invalid, but accompanied with blood.
4. Wounds, of whatever kind, which do not affect a vital part are more readily cured than in the case of white people. I have seen most desperate wounds inflicted by their weapons (that would have kept Europeans for months invalids) healed in an incredible short time, to the astonishment of medical men. Wounds, whether by accident or otherwise, are immediately attended to by their doctors; if in the fleshy part of the body, they suck the blood from the wound, and continue sucking until blood ceases to be extracted. If little blood comes from the wound, they know all is not right, and will put the patient to pain by probing the wound with their lancet (a sharp bone), or place the body in that position so as to compress the opposite part to force blood. They know well the consequence of stagnant blood or matter, especially in the upper part of the body. When the wound is thoroughly clean, they leave the rest to nature, and place a lump of pridgerory (a kind of wax oozing from trees) on the wound; should there follow a gathering, they open the wound afresh, and see all right, and again cover it over with pridgerory.
5. Their general remedy is friction. If very severe about the thighs or legs, the doctor gets a good mound of hot ashes prepared, made solely from bark which is without grit; the patient is laid on his belly, and the doctor rubs most unmercifully the hot ashes on the part affected, as a butcher would in salting meat; if in the thighs or legs, the patient is put into the mound of heated ashes nearly up to his knees, where he sits whilst the doctor is rubbing with hot ashes the parts affected. During this process the doctor is incantating, blowing occasionally a portion of the dust into the air with a hissing noise. When sufficiently operated upon, the invalid is wrapped up in his blanket.
6. The blacks treat boils and swellings thus: when hard, they lotion the part well with decoction of wattle bark; when obstinate, they boil wild marshmallow, and poultice—if it softens and does not break, they apply their sharp bone-lancet.
7. The Aborigines are deeply afflicted with a disorder called by them bubburum; white men call it itch, but it is in no way like it: it appears as raised dark scabs, and spreads, joining each other, until they cover almost all the lower extremities; it seldom affects the head or upper parts, but I have known it almost cover the thighs and legs, so that the afflicted one could with difficulty move about. The native cure for this distemper is every night and morning to grease the parts affected with wheerup (a red-ochre) mixed with decoction of wattle bark. I knew one instance of this disease becoming most distressing to a white man, in a respectable position, who was continually cohabiting with black lubras.
8. Through their imprudence and carelessness they often get severe burns, which they cure by dabbing the parts over with melted fat, afterwards dash the parts affected with a puff made of opossum fur and the dust of wheerup.
