Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-08-27
STRANGE PRACTICES.
MEDICINE MEN AMONG THE INDIANS
OF PARA, Brazil
Working Under the Influence OF Invisi-
BILE Healers How . Medicine Man
Operates-The Various Prescrip-
ions-Other Ceremonies

Working Under the Influence OF Invisi-
BILE Healers How Medicine Man
Operates-The Various Prescrip-
uons-Other Ceremonies
IHarper's BazM.l
In Belen del gran Para. among the mos.
ignorant OF tho natives, there are med cine
men and women whp frequently make very
successful cures by mysteri Us means. sav-
ing patients that have been pronounced In
durable by other physicians. and such cases
become widely known. These medicine
men say they work by order Of -pirits of the
fire and spirit from the bottom Of the deep:
thuse WAC claim tine help Of the fire. spirits
are aid to curs best Each o: these peculiar
doctors is supposed 70 bs influenced by
tribe Of unseen teings subordinate TO a
superior, who takes charge OF the most
diff 'ult ca e. and whoe opinion Is
highly re<pect,L Tne invisible healsr' are
said t. be ghosts Of Pc Pc who belonged to
the m st ignorant classes OF humanity
black slaves. white r,u.hs, savage Ia
dians cruel pirates. etc. an each al WIS
to some particular mama Besii,s hi. rixei
number OF assistant spsctsr', in wapn tle
medicine man has unbou iisi conf l-nce,
other. occasionally e,d. If permitted by
the chief gho I, that the N IN pretend 70
hear. zee and touch when alvns. and without
which permi sion he dares not holi inter-
CO re with inferior spiritx
Tne men say that they themselves know
nothing of disea-e or incidence. but that
after . while they are not aule to Tree them
selves from the authority of the invisibles who
impose upon them the mission Of always
Il. .
days and IL they do not comply, the ma ter
punishe' them. even corPorally; but, on the
other hand, when they work faithfully and
well. the master is complaisant, AMI takas
particular care to cure those dear to the
medicine man. The more moral the doctor,
the more certain tho cure. they say; for
thoe who have acquired bad habits ara in
nuenced by evil spirits that, far from benz
fitting. harm the patient Upon su all
look with horror, and condemn them as
wizards
The police Of Para pursue these medicine
men and women re.entlessly. but the
lower classes OF society tacitly protect
them, and will nsver point out tho places
where they hold their meetings. The medi-
cine man appoints n certain day for pa
tisnts who desire - consult him, with their
families. and any who have obtained per-
mission to be present, go at night-fall-one
or two at . time, not to attract attention
to some house in an unfrequented spot.
where they may not be surprised by the
police or annoyed by persons outside.
About o'clock the visitors. never less than
fifteen or twenty, must be gathered at the
place indicated. They are recommended to
b very circumspect, to have much faith in
all they see and hear. and TO sing with each
spirit certain verses that correspond to
them Tho doors are well closed and no
one can go out till the meeting adjourns,
except with the ma ters permission Some
times they are closetei till early dawn.
The medicine man fir-t occupies himself
for about an hour in slowly making ten OF
twelve cigars, very thick and nine inches
long, mixing with the tobacco a small
quantity of pulverizei incense, and wrap
ping it in very thin bark that they use in
stead of paper. There are two bottles Of
6rewater on hand for the libations OF "ths
spirits" and a small hollow globe made Of
wood with holes in IL; inside are stones to
rattle. This primitive kind OF sistrum Is
secured to a handle, and the medicine man
uses it to call the ma ter OF the spirits; they
say that he gave it to the M for that purpose,
as well as another instr inent made OF
buzzari feathers After various rr-para-
ton, the dot dininishss tho light as
much as possibl. without extinguishiny it,
lights one Of the big Gig ars, concentrates his
thoughts. and begins to smoke calmly.
From tins to tina hs introduces the lighted
end Of the cigar in his mouth, and absorbs
Q quantity Of smoke; be al,o takes one Of
the instruments mentioned. AMI sounds it
rapidly Close to his ears With his mouth
he fumigates bis arms and hanis in the
- iIay hxyt ha
etition OF these operations he CLOSES his eyes
and seems to 10 in a somnamtulistic state.
Half tottering. he rise, and passes his
hands several times over his forehead, then,
with his arms upiiitei, goes to tho nearest
wall, and strikes it hard with the palms OF
his hands, and recede. a lew steps, always
unsteady, repeating the operation two or
three times. At last. able to stanl rm, be
turns toward the Company, and says. Good
evening" His movements are Tree; his
features. language, way OF walking, all his
actions, polite or rude, take the Character OF
tho individual supposed to pos -ess him.
Those present never al iress the doctor by
his name but that Of The one said to con-
troll him, arl by his manners AMI language
known to some anon, them They answer
his greeting with amiabiiity, and try to
p!ease him by all the means in their power,
Offering him rum OF some good thing they
have prepared for him. beg him to sing, and
il he does Join in with him, and respond To
the toasts he deigns TO drink to some u those
Or sent Afterward by invitation or volun-
tarily be attentively examines the patients,
gently touching the affected parts, and ask
ing questions concerning the maiady. he
fumigatss the seat OF tho disease, makes
passes over the individual with oEs % the
small musical Instruments, and lastly pre-
scribsS
When he has finished attending TO patients
he takes more dre-water and says good bye,
then goes to the wall as before, strikes it
with his open palms. and seems greatly
exhausted After a few minutes rest
he again approaches the wall as al
ready described, and soon is said TO be I'M
der control Of another, who, with very little
difference, repeats what the first did; thus
one succeeds another throughout the night
Some only attend to two or three patients,
others to many and the master to tn" most
serious cases. They sometimes approve the
prescription, OF those VINO have preceded
them. but may prescribe other rene lies;
then the master decide which shall be used.
The medicaments ordered are herbs, barks,
roots and, in a few cases, purgatives from
the drrg-.tore, to be used exactly as d.
rected When bleeding-in the arms or feet
lis prescribed. the doctor undertakes TO
bleed them at once. or at the next meeting,
or in the home of the patient, u'iny piece
Of glass tied u n small stick.
Nearly all the medicine men and women
work completely nakei above the waist
Some prepare for work in complete dark
nea requesting thoss pre- sent - light up thu
room soon as they are infiusGc' II nv the
first spirit Others keep the room in obscur-
ity during the first part of the night and
lie hit the other half
II i q remarkable fac. that in Nucatan.
also the Indians hide themselves a, night,
and perform cerem1nes similar 10 those
that take place in Brazil
In Complete steal"