Note 11 — THE VENEREAL DISEASE.

Though we are still very much in the dark with regard to the method of curing this disease among the natives of America, yet it is generally affirmed that they do cure it with speed, safety, and success, and that without the least knowledge of mercury. Hence it becomes an object of considerable importance to discover their method of cure. This might surely be done by making trials of the various plants which are found in those parts, and particularly of such as the natives are known to make use of. All people in a rude state take their medicines chiefly from the vegetable kingdom, and are often possessed of valuable secrets with regard to the virtues of plants, of which more enlightened nations are ignorant. Indeed, we make no doubt but some plants of our own growth, were proper pains taken to discover them, would be found as efficacious in curing the venereal disease as those in America. It must, however, be remembered, that what will cure the venereal disease in one country, will not always be found to have equal success in another.