, 1888-01-15
HYGIENE AMONG THE zuLus.
stlnted Use of water-SimplicIty of Their
Food-Troatmont of Wounds.

dry weather, especially when they are in
~perspiration. They avoid bathing except
during heavy rains, when they take adj
vantage of the opportunity for purposes
of bodily cleanliness. Their reasons for
so doing are that frequent ablutions de-
bilitate the system and render it incapa-
BILE of withstanding the local climate,
and that very frequently baths are fol
lowed by malarial fever or %cutaneous
e%ruptions over the joints. One can fire.
quently observe the v~eracity of this as
s%ertion, especially as regards the cutane-
ous eruption, which generally appears in
the popliteal space the very day a bath is
taken, even during rainy weather.
With strict parsimony in the use of
water the Zulus resist remarkably the
dangers of the climate 10 which they are
exposed, and my experience tends to
prove that those whites who observe u
dry regimen fare far better than those
who continue to follow their home habits.
/ had obtained this information from
Antoine d'AbbaGie, of the Institute of
France, and certainly found it applicable
in South Africa. We both observed its
teachings and lived, while all those
among my companions who sought relief
in the free use of water in Africa died.
AAA' ~ ANaAAs Alht US. uAHlLllltNl
from its use since 1879, still live. In
baths the natives endeavor to close them.
on the contrary, 10y the application of
fats over the entire body.
The Zulus lead n frugal life. their food
being OF the simplest kind. They use but
little meat, which they invariably broil.
They eat every part of the animal, in
rln1Inu fhp lAnaa mud gpr,affn,.a ,,,,
the hide. They make free use of the
gall of the animals they eat, TO render
the meat tender and prevent indigestion.
applying n few drops over the morsel
they are about to consume. They sleep
on mats, the head resting on blocks OF
wool, which hold it in equilibrium and
keep it cool. They rarely suffer from
headache, neuralgia, etc, owing prob
ably TO this mode of taking rest, the head
not being ovcrheated, as it is among civ
ilizad people, by feather pillows.
Surgery is the branch of medical art
that, among the Zulus, can be said TO be
the most advanced. Their treatment of
wounds is especially remarkable, and in
several complicated cases treated 10y my
self, according 10 the usual methods, for
two or three months without success,
their native physicians brought about n
cure in n comparatively short time.
Their system is based principally upon
the earliest possible obturation of all
wounds. They first extract the foreign
body, bullet or spicule of zone that may
he present, in h rudeSt possible manner,
using their fingers or rough forceps.
They then close the wound carefully and
cover it with n thick paste composed of
charcoal and mutton suet, taking care
that no portion of the lacerated tissues
emain exposed 20 the air. They treat
fractures ms we do, using pieces of bark.
suitably cut, for splints. l have never
seen traces of amputation among them.
Sweuings OF all kinds, the early stages
OF abscess or anthrax, inlammatory
rheumatism, etc, are treated by means
of the bulbs of the genus album, onion,
wild garlic, etc. The bulb, being stepped
in water heated almost TO the boiling
point, is applied while still hot. This
treatment is attended with marvellous re-
suits, large and very painful swellings
disappearing in the course of n few hours.
The secret of their physicians is the
proper selection of the bulbs to be used
in n given case. Another valuable rem
edy much employed by them in swcllings
and general c%utaneous eruptions, elephant
iasis, etc, is the wild castor bean, half
the size employed by lis. The Umzila
Zulus collect it from the gizzards Of birds
in the half digested and fermented state
in which it is found there. They fill a
wide mouthed jar with it, and allow the
process of fermentation to continue by
exposing it to the sun and air during q
period of two months. They then crush
the mass and mix it with water, stirring
ut the same time. The oil found floating
upon the surface literally melts away the
swelling of sprains, rheumatism, etc, so
great is its beneficial power. 1t must not
be forgotten, however, uhat other ingre-
dients, unknown to me, may play an i'm
portant part in the results obtained.
In h treatment of general diseases
they resort, with but little success, how
ever, to the consumption Of portions of
organs corresponding with the organs
diseased. If they suppose that the liver
Is the seat Of trouble, they administer
liver, etc. Gall is used by them in two
or three drop doses in the treatment of
dyspepsia In fevers they use ~decoCtions
of bitter plants, which do not seem of
much benefit. For tRnia solium they
use kouSso and decocdons of squash seed.
On the whole, it seems to me that tho
remedial measures resorted to by the
Zulus are worthy of some investigation.
! believe, however, that missionaries
alone would inspire sufficient confidence
al this time TO obtain from them an in
sight into their methods. 1t is n notable
fact that those natives who are truly
versed in the art of healing Chose alluded
to above being of much lower order) are
few and closely connected with the king.
The results obtained. by these men are
frequently remarkable. A missionary
well known TO them, and accredited by
some government, bearing at the same
time some such present MS a gun, a bale
of cotton, eto could obtain permission
from the king to question his physicians,
while an explorer, n merchant, etc,
would most likely meet with n refusal
Rev. Father Charles Croonenberghs.
Couldn't Sec the Point.
81 beg your pardon, sir, ~ said n young