The Red Cloud chief., 1886-06-11
NE BIG INJCN'
Tho Power and Tricks of the Red
Mans Doctor.

tl' N<.
Mans Doctor.
The Indian doctor. or medicine" man,
j. 4 -cli-r"n-lItutc,l phy-ician and pro
yhrl, ir dcrIy", hi, authority from no
man, aud no man can tIkri II from INN.
II" - np gradual. of any college and
M, n" iriGmi. but h" ">hibit- tn" ii,-
t~imc'iyr marks "f his profession hy
~rHrIn" tiIr rpipr with hiir--iir out.
and ihr ever present and all powerful
mclIcInc-hi". c~urIou-lI ornam"n'rd.
ACCORDING" Il Tie Indian belief. sick
nr-~ J. caused through the influence of
"a bad spirit. and The only remedial
agency found IN the matrria m"IIu Of
ih. doctors consist, of incantat5om- for
the purpu>r "f ~ck"rcl>in y Tia" Indians
are a very nmV"r>i.ii"H1 people. they
brlIry" IA ia" direct agency of superior
powers. aud con>"gu"n,'y their system
of medical treatment j. She natural re-
smli Of their hcli"f. They delight IN
li,i"n-s""kin". through si":m-hath>.
fasting and sclf-muiilIiipn.
The Indian doctor attempts Ia" ca"
rf disease mainly by au appeal 10 Tia"
unknown" and tries TO prupiiiitr tins
power 10y dancing. singing and other
noisy demonstrations. Some Of these
..mciicInr mru" claim 10 cure the sick
hy remedies known only 10 themselves.
and which. they insist. are discovered
hv them from the whi>prringS Of some
animal {" Them while they wcr. asleep.
They stand very high ia the esteem OF
i, most powerful. When. however. a
certain number of their patients have
died. their powers 10 successfully battle
with the evil spirits ar" much doubted
and they lose their high standing IN
society and their practice. Som" "i
the tribes even Kill those who have thu,
ou,livcd their usefulness. A few Illus
trations Of their mode of Ircatmcn,
will bc of interest Ia The reader.
Lieutenant {. was stretched out
upon u cot ia my tent al Fort Grant,
Arizona. one day. when thc medicine
man of the Mr.callcr" tribe entered
He was a rrrnlsivr looking and filthy
old man, with sore eyes. and aimo>'
entirely naked. but stood very high il
the profession
81 am going {" play sick" said {.
..scc what he Will do"
Accordingly n %Croancd. ~ if III
great pam. and the interpreter ">-
planned 10 the native physician that {,
Was very sick and desired his p~r"fr~-
Sinual services. The aboriginal E>rii-
lapiuS advanced slowly 10 the side ui
the cot, made n number of pa>>c>
with ~outStrrtchrd hands over tn sup.
posed sick man> person. While chant
ing some dolcful melody through hi
Nose. when all At To- he >plt full III
the ~latlrr's face. The livcl, WAY in
which &. kicked the doctor ont IF In,
tent was proof positive /" I'll" Indians,
vino witnessed the >ccnr that a grand
cure had been accomplished.
Captain W. l.. Clarke gives the FOL.
lowing Interesting account of the treat.
mrnt administered 10 a man who had
been badly burned:
The sufferer WAS hrouch; Ia thrlodgt
in the evening and a doctor summoned
- L..
an>w cring the call until the following
morning. quite possibly 10 ada some
thing of lmpr. >>Iyc Importance Il hi
coming. H. WIS accompanied hI an
other doctor. On entering the lodge,
trc, did moi dr:.n IL notice any one
! TAT sat down in silence. and rr&lainc,
! motionlr>>. until . pipe MAS I'll Il an,
hau;"d ( Them. Inc elder r,c.iNcdit
4 held il mp At arms length ovcrA i> hraJ
j for 4 moment. mU;tcrri some uniu;c,'i
.-ihlc sounds. lowered ii. carefully tool
from the bowl wi,hhj> thumb anI fore
t.r.cr >ma. portion Il the tobacco
and placed Al ON lac cdSr II the heart!
sfAal' AalA '.AN va A"' -ssAi4t.' Tx
held 4 brand from tn IRE II the nip,
till il WAS iighicI The doctor slow,
i putfcl the >muAe two ar thee time
inward. downward and towards cac'
ri the cariina. points. AMI taxing tn
Sire b, ttc bowl. passed 1t II hj~ com
rauion. who went through III sam
form. and this WAS repeated Till Ii
cont:nt> "a the pipe "Hrc consumed
I, MAS then handed IL the one VIII
had lighted it. lie 'mPt'i III
:.shc, upon the hearth. 'n;ir"l
covering The particles of t"ha'c" br'"E
] ...pos,,cd there. He then touched II
Hns OF his fingers 10 The a>''' IN
h,ssrd his hands III succession over Il
I nine from :ac howl TO the end o / Il
stem. and returned to the owner WI
did the same. The doctors now Pr
eeeLed to inspect the patient : ihJ"'"
and. after the examination WAS CO..