The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-12
THEIR REMEDIES AND MODE
OF PROCEDURE.
Their Motto Is Cash in Advance, or
Its Equivalent in Every Pro-
fessional Instance

tailed below. No information what.
ever could be obtained from natives in
regard to the usual practice pursued by
the kahuna doctors in treating the sick,
the questioner being always answered
to the effect that they knew nothing
about it. This reticence has since
been explained to be caused by fear,
one of the cardinal principles of the
kahuna profession being to instil
wholesome dread of consequences into
the minds of their followers in case
they should divulge anything to its
detriment. With the innocent natives,
in whom superstition is born and bred
in the bone, and fed to them in their
infancy in their mothers milk, this is
an easy task. In spite of the civilizing
effect of churches, schools, rapid com
munication with the outer world, etc,
it is boldly asserted that the native
Hawaiian does not exist in the secret
recesses Of whose heart there is not the
same superstitious fear that obtained
with their forefathers a hundred years
ago. And when it is considered that
this fear has, with one or two possible
exceptions, been both secretly and
openly encouraged by those highest in
authority over the nation, it is no won
der that it exists as a national evil to-
day.
There are kahunas and kahunas,
good, bad and indifferent. 1t is gen
orally question of choice in case of
sickness, but when native is to be
"kahunaed" or really frightened to
death it is another matter. To offset
the evil effects of one kahuna the
victim must employ another of greater
power and skill, and money is then no
object. But it is not the object Of
this article to take up and describe the
"sorceres" practiced even at the pres
ent day by these kahunas and by which
even in this Christian era many natives
are undoubtedly frightened to death, but
rather to describe the methods prac-
ticed in sickness and the medicines
used.
The kahuna, in the first place, is
strictly business man and the plan he
pursues is to get every dollar he pos
sibly can out of the sick person and
his or her relatives, and to get that
dollar invariably in advance. Having
obtained his fee he visits the sick per
son and commences operations with a
little praying. This being over the
patient is examined and prescribed for,
little more praying done and the ka-
huna departs promising to come to-
morrow if not sooner. If the patient
has plenty of money this treatment is
kept up for an indefinite period, strict
ly cash in advance If he has little OF
no money it is remarkable how quick
he gets well or dies.
Among other superstitious ideas i'm
bued in the native mind, and for tina
matter in the minds of some of thei
haole brethren, is one that purgatlvt
treatment must be followed and KEEP
up in every case of sickness, and this il
invariably followed by the kahuni
doctors. Indeed, the patient would
not think he was getting his money
worth unless he was thoroughly wei
physicked. What effect this drastic
treatment would have upon person
whose system was demoralized witt
the grippe can be imagined. The purga
tives generally used, for a description
of which the reporter is indebted t.
one of our leading physicians who ha
long made study of native HABITS an
customs, are koali, plant of the con
volvulus or morning glory order
similar plant furnishes the jalap of tn
drug stores. This is powerful, quick
acting purgative and is the one mos
generally used in cases of stomach dt
rangement from over-eating, which
the commonest disorder with tn
natives. Another plant much used fc
the same purpose is the red taro, whlc
is powerful irritont purgative. Tn
is what the dead printer, George ka
Lokai, was dosei with until he died.
The popolo, or rather the exPresse
juice of its green leaves. is mlld'
laxative and is used for children. Al
other remedy is the seeds and e.
pressed juice of the seed cases OF tt
hairy convolvulus, which is niue
milder than the koai. The apu.aw
or common gourd, is another populi
kahuna remedy. The pulp and jul'
are used, but as it often acts as
emetic as we'll as purgative and
poisonous in large doses, its use
somewhat dangerous. Other natl'
remedies used are ava, a plant belon
ing to the pepper family, and fro
which the sacred intoxicant is mat
with which all natives dose themselv
oAI oeca. a, ,ao.:Goo a. tIa unT