The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-08-04
THE INDIAN DOCTOR.
ABSURD TREATMENT OLA MAN WHO
HAD BEEN BADLY BURNED.

Details OF an Elaborate Performance
which Failed to save the Patient
Treatment OF Ordinary Cases-Drugs
Used-Care of Wounds, Etc.
The Indian doctor attempts the cure Of
disease mainly by an appeal to the "un-
known" and tries TO propitiate this power
By dancing, singing and other noisy dem
onstrations. Some Of these medicine
men" claim TO cure the sick by remedies
known only to themselves, and which,
they insist, were discovered by them from
the whisperiDgs Of some animal TO them,
while they are asleep.
They stand very high in the esteem Of
their people and their advice in council Is
most powerful When, however, a GER
tain number of their patients have died,
their powers to successfully battle with
the evil spirits are much doubted and they
lose their high standing in society and
their practice.
Capt. w. p. Clarke gives the following
interesting account of the treatment ad-
ministered to a man who had been badly
burned:
1.-The sufferer was brought to the lodge
In the evening and doctor summoned at
once. For some reason he delayed an
swering the call until the following
of impressive Importance to his coming
He was accompanied by another doctor
On entering the lodge, they did not deign
to notice any one, but sat down in silence,
and remained motionless until pipe was
filed and handed 10 them. The elder re-
ceived it, held it up at arms length over
his head for a moment, muttered some I'M
Ineligible sounds, lowered it, carefully
took from the bowl with his thumb and
forefnger a small portion of the tobacco,
and placed it on the edge of the hearth be-
fore him. One of the family then held
brand from the fire to the pipe till it was
lighted. The doctor slowly pulled the
smoke two or three times upward, down
ward, and towards each of the cardinal
points, and, taking the pipe by the bowl
passed 1t to his companion, who went
through the same form, and this was re
peated till the contents of the pipe were
consumed. 1t was then handed TO the one
who had lighted it. He emptied the ashes
upon the hearth, entirely covering the
particles of tobacco before deposited there
He then touched the tips of his fingers to
the ashes and passed his hands in success
sion over the pipe from the bowl to the
end Of the stem, and returned it to the
owner who did the same.
AN ELABORATE PERFORMANCE.
1.-THE doctors now proceeded to inspect
the patients injuries, and, after the ex-
animation was concluded, began their
practices. One Of them took mouthful
Of water from a calabash placed beside
him, groaned, beat his breast, crept back
ward and forward on his hands and feet
lookup some dust from the ground, rubbed
it In his hands, made various intricate
gestures, and then pretended to vomit the
water, which all the while had been in his
ha
filed his mouth, and after going through
an even more elaborate performance,
parted the hair upon the head of the pa
tient, blew the water in small quantities
upon the scalp. breast and other parts of
his body. This was repeated several times.
He then applied his mouth, previously
hlled with water, to the sick mans head,
and with groans seemed to be endeavoring
W. ali his might to suck something from
it. When this had continued some min
utes, all at once he started back, and, ap-
preaching the hearth, squirted the mouth
ful OF water upon it, as if drawn from the
invalid's head.
"The same operation was repeated on
different parts of the body He then took
up some of the ashes emptied from the
pipe, rubbed them in his hands, and blew
them upon the patients head, breast, and
wherever the suction had been tried. After
all this nonsense, he took minute quaint
ity of dark powder from his medicine-bag,
sprinkled it on the burns and departed.
During this performance the other doctor
was busily shaking his rattle, parading his
medicine-bag. and dancing with great v1o-
lence over the sufferer, the occupants OF
the lodge looking on in profound attention
and awe.
"These absurdities were repeated twice a
4 live
The night he died, four days after he re-
ceived the injuries, when he was actually in
articulo mOrtis, the doctors were sent for,
and with redoubled fury began their elab-
crate parade Of Juggling, and by the noise
and confusion, TO all appearances, expe-
dited dissolution.
TREATMENT OF ORDINARY CASES.
In case of ordinary disease, suction and
other applications are directed upon the
part of the patients body in which the dis
turbing spirit Is supposed to be located
usually where the most pain is felt. Some
times violent friction pressure, or a sort of
kneading of the ailing parts is tried.
Generally they attempt to brighten aw ay
the disturbing spirit by noises, as NUT
tering, yelling barking or growing, or by
strange posturing, as of a wolf, buffalo,
or bear, or by angry demonstrations, as
brand shing war-club or tomahawk, and
threatening to strike the affected part.
This treatment of disease is, of course,
senseless, but to the mass of Indians it
does not appear so. and very few Of them,
even after standardization, will seek re-
lief in the white doctors medicines. |
have, however, frequently seen them adj
minister drugs of their own preparation.
Pulverized bones, roots and herbs are
frequently used by them, and they are
familiar with the cathartic qualities OF
some plants. They use decoctions OF
artemisia, monarda, mentha and saliva
both internally and as disinfectants and
cosmetics.
In the treatment Of wounds, Commissions
and sprains, such as are of frequent occur
renee, some OF these medicine men are
very skillfuL They do not practice ampu-
tation, because they have so little knowl-
edge in surgery. There is the strongest
kind Of prejudice against the loss of
limb, death being usually preferred They
often set broken bones quite skillfully,
and cases are within the writer's knowl-
edge, where Indian doctors restored badly
wounded men to health, after they had
been given up as hopeless by the agency
doctor.-Col. GSido uges in Chicago
Graphic News.
Charles Dickens Work in England.
During the twelve years following the
d.ath of Charles nickeus no less thai