Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-07-08


covering the particles of tobacco before
deposited there. Ho then touched tho
tips of his fingers to the ashes and
passed his hands in succession over tho
pipe from the bowl to the end OF the
stem. and returned to the owner, who
did the samc. The doctors now pro-
cccdcd To inspect the patients injuries.
and. after the examination was con.
cludcd, began their practices. One OF
them took mouthful of water from
calabash placed beside him, groaned.
beat his breast, crcpt backward and
forward on his hands and feet, took up
some dust from the ground. rubbed 1t
in his hands, made various intricate
gestures, and then pretended TO vomit
the water. which all the while had been
in his mouth, upon the hearth. Again
he filled his mouth, after going
through an even moro elaborate per-
formancc, parted the hair upon the
head of the patient, blew the water in
small quantities upon the scalp. breast
and other parts of his body. This was
repeated several times. He then APP
piled his mouth, previously filled with
water to the sick mans head, and
with groans seemed TO be cndeayor.
ing with all his might to suck some
thing from it. When this had
continued some minutes, all at once
he started back. and, approaching
the hearth, squirted the mouthful of
water upon it, as if drawn from the in-
valid's head. The same operation was
repeated on different parts of the body.
He then took up some of the ashes
empticd 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 a minute quanti-
" of dark powder from his medicine
bag. sprinkled it on the burns and de-
parted. During this performance the
other doctor was buSily shaking his
rattle. parading his mcdicine-bag and
dancing with great violence over the
sufferer, the occupants of the lodge
looking on in profound attention and
awe.
These abSurlities were repeated
twice day so long aS the unfortunate
man lived. The night he died, four
days after he received the injuries,
when he was actually in drticu'o mortiS,
the doctors were sent for, and with re-
doubled fury began their elaborate
parade of Juggling, and by the noise
aud confusion. to all appearances, cx-
pedited dissolution. This will serve as
fair specimen of their therapeutic
treatment.
In case of ordinary disease, suction
and other applications are directed
upon the part Of the patients body in
which the disturbing spirit is supposed
TO be located-usually where the most
pain i felt. Sometimes violent friction,
pressure or sort of kncading of the
ailing parts is tried. Generally they
attempt to irightcn away the disturb
ing spirit by noises, ~ muttcring, yell
ling. barking, or growing, or by
strange poSturinS, Us Of wolf, a
buffalo. or bear, or by angry demon
stra,ionS. rs brandishing warclub or
tomahawk, and threatening To strike
the affected part. This treatment of
disease j., of course. scnselcSS, but 10
the mass of Indians it does not APP
pear 50. and very few of them, even
after standardization, will seek relief
in the white doctors medicines.
| have, however. frequently seen
them administer 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 drtcmiSid,
plondrda. mentha and Salria both
internally and as disinfcctants and
cosmetics.
In the treatment Of wounds, contu.
sions and Sprains, such rs are of fire.
qucnt occurrence, some Of these medi-
cine-men are very skillful. They do
not practice amputation, because they
have so little knowledge in surgery.
There is the strongest kind of prcju-
dice 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.
The charges made for treatment de-
pend somewhat upon the issue. which
seems To be very sensible and prac-
tical way of doing business. Somc-
times the charges are quite exorbitant.
amounting in the aggregate to several
ponies. Colonel Guido Iiges, IN Chi
cdgo Graphic Ne,0S.