Men and Women keep their complexions, but lose their Teeth: the Women are pittifully Tooth-shaken; whether through the coldness of the climate, or by sweet-meats of which they have store, I am not able to affirm, for the Toothach I have found the following medicine very available, Brimstone and Gunpowder compounded with butter, rub the mandible with it, the outside being first warm’d.
For falling off of the hair occasioned by the coldness of the climate, and to make it curl, take of the strong water called Rhum and wash or bath your head therewith, it is an admirable remedie.
For kibed heels, to heal them take the yellowest part of Rozen, pulverize it and work it in the palm of your hand with the tallow of a Candle to a salve, and lay of it to the sore.
For frozen limbs, a plaister framed with Soap, Bay-salt, and Molosses is sure, or Cow-dung boiled in milk and applyed.
For Warts and Corns, bathe them with Sea-water.
[p. 186.] There was in the Countrey not long since living two men that voided worms seven times their length. Likewise a young maid that was troubled with a sore pricking at her heart, still as she lean’d her body, or stept down with her foot to the one side or the other; this maid during her distemper voided worms of the length of a finger all hairy with black heads; it so fell out that the maid dyed; her friends desirous to discover the cause of the distemper of her heart, had her open’d, and found two crooked bones growing upon the top of the heart, which as she bowed her body to the right or left side would job their points into one and the same place, till they had worn a hole quite through. At Cape-Porpus lived an honest poor planter of middle-age, and strong of body, but so extreamly troubled with two lumps (or wens as I conjectured) within him, on each side one, that he could not rest for them day nor night, being of great weight, and swagging to the one side or the other, according to the motion or posture of his body; at last he dyed in Anno 1668 as I think, or thereabouts. Some Chirurgeons there were that proffered to open him, but his wife would not assent to it, and so his disease was hidden in the Grave.
[p. 187.] It is the opinion of many men, that the blackness of the Negroes proceeded from the curse upon Cham’s posterity, others again will have it to be the property of the climate where they live. I pass by other Philosophical reasons and skill, only render you my experimental knowledge: having a Barbarie-moor under cure, whose finger (prickt with the bone of a fish) was Impostumated, after I had lanc’d it and let out the Corruption the skin began to rise with proud flesh under it; this I wore away, and having made a sound bottom I incarnated it, and then laid on my skinning plaister, then I perceived that the Moor had one skin more than Englishmen; the skin that is basted to the flesh is bloudy and of the same Azure colour with the veins, but deeper than the colour of our Europeans veins. Over this is an other skin of a tawny colour, and upon that Epidermis or Cuticula, the flower of the skin (which is that Snakes cast) and this is tawny also, the colour of the blew skin mingling with the tawny makes them appear black. I do not peremptorily affirm this to be the cause, but submit to better judgment. More rarities of this nature I could make known unto you, but I hasten to an end; only a word or two of our English Creatures and then to Sea again.
[p. 188.] I have given you an Account of such plants as prosper there, and of such as do not; but so briefly, that I conceive it necessary to afford you some what more of them. Plantain I told you sprang up in the Countrey after the English came, but it is but one sort, and that is broad-leaved plantain.
Gilliflowers thrive exceedingly there and are very large, the Collibuy or humming-Bird is much pleased with them. Our English dames make Syrup of them without fire, they steep them in Wine till it be of a deep colour, and then they put to it spirit of Vitriol, it will keep as long as the other.
Eglantine or sweet Bryer is best sowen with Juniper-berries, two or three to one Eglantine-berry put into a hole made with a stick, the next year separate and remove them to your banks, in three years time they will make a hedge as high as a man, which you may keep thick and handsome with cutting.