was amused, as well as ourselves, with the man’s judicious remark
which immediately followed, | A pretty state we shall then be in
without the goods you bring us.”
The following remarks on a well-known disease axe extracted from
Dr. Richardson’s Journal:
“ Bronchocele, or Goitre, is a common disorder at Edmonton.
I examined several of the individuals afflicted with it, and
endeavoured to obtain every information on the subject from the
most authentic sources. The following facts may be depended
upon. The disorder attacks those only who drink the water of the
river. It is indeed in its worst state confined almost entirely to the
half-breed women and children, who reside constantly at the fort,
and make use of river water, drawn in the winter through a hole
cut in the ice. The men, being often from home on journeys
through the plain, When their drink is melted snow, are less
affected; and, if any of them exhibit during the winter, some
incipient symptoms of the complaint, the annual summer voyage to
the sea-coast generally effects a cure. The natives who confine
themselves to snow-water in the winter, and drink of the small
rivulets which flow through the plains in the summer, are exempt
from the attacks of this disease.
“ These facts are curious, inasmuch as they militate against the
generally-received opinion that the disease is caused by drinking
snow-water ; an opinion which seems to have originated from
bronchocele being endemial to sub-alpine districts.
“ The Saskatchawan, at Edmonton, is clear in the winter, and
also in the summer, except during the May and July floods. The
distance from the Rocky Mountains (which I suppose to be of primitive
formation,) is upwards of one hundred and thirty miles. The
neighbouring plains are alluvial, the Soil is calcareous, and contains
numerous travelled fragments of limestone. At a considerable distance
below Edmonton, the river, continuing its course through the
plains, becomes turbid, and acquires a white colour. In this state
it is drunk by the inmates of Carlton House, where the disease is
known only by name. It is said that the inhabitants of Rocky
Mountain House, sixty miles nearer the source of the river are
more severely affected than those at Edmonton. The same disease
occurs near the sources of the Elk and Peace Rivers; but, in those
parts of the country which are distant from the Rocky Mountain
Chain, it is unknown, although melted snow forms the only drink of
the natives for nine months of the year.
“ A residence of a single year at Edmonton is sufficient to render
a family bronchocelous. Many of the goitres acquire great size.
Burnt sponge has been tried, and found to remove the disease, but
an exposure to the same cause immediately reproduces it.
r A great portion of the children of women who have goitres, are
born idiots, with large heads, and the other distinguishing marks of
cretins. I could not learn whether it was necessary that both parents
should have goitres, to produce cretin children : indeed the want of
chastity in the half-breed women would be a bar to the deduction of
any inference on this head.”
February 8vggrHaving recovered from the swellings and pains
which our late march from Cumberland had occasioned, we prepared
for the commencement of our journey to Isle a la Crosse, and
requisitions were made on both the establishments for the means of
conveyance, and the necessary supply of provisions for the party,
which were readily furnished On the 9th the carioles and sledges
were loaded, and sent off after breakfast; but Mr. Back and I remained
till the afternoon, as Mr. Prudens had offered that his
horses should convey us to the encampment. At 3 P. M. we
parted from our kind host, and in passing through the gate were
honoured with a salute of musketry. After riding six miles, we
joined the men at their encampment, which was made under the
shelter of a few poplars. The dogs had been so much fatigued in