The morning times., 1896-11-22
DOCTORS IN KAFFIR LAND.
Queer Methods and Medicat!ons En-
ployed by Physicians in Natal.
Pal MoE Gazere.

In Natal native physicians are divided
INTO two classeS-medicine and herbaIists,
The former. known 10 Jheir ieilows AS
"lzinyanga 20 kwe lapa," are especially
prJtIlIvn. IN the hrdIInS art. wiiiv esi.. IT,
ter, rejoicing in the name OF "Izinyanga
Lcmeti. efIect their cures through tne me
dium OF herbs with medicinal properties. of
which there are over 100 species in the
colony known to the natives
One ofthe most frequentcaSes with which
native doctor has to deal is snake bites,
anu Tor this there are al least u dozen
herbal antIdotes, the chief OF which IS the
root OF the aster asper, d small plant some
what like the daisy, with hlac-culOred
Towers. IL has been used with SUCCESS by
hunters on their dogs when snake-kitten.
but the secret of the infallible remedy for
the deaiiest snake bite is said to have. died
with Cetewayo, who had u gray poyder
which never failed to cure,
Herbs FOR cattle diseases are plentiful,
but so far none OF them has stenimed the
onsiaughts of rinderpeSt. The isi-nwaZI is a
favorIte remedy for '-redwater'' in cattle.
and is also employed as an emetic The
uinbelebeie is very valuable as an eve
salve, and TO its milky sap the late Sir
Tieophilus Shepst0ne was indebted for the
preservation Of a valuable horse which had
got some cI the binding juice of the cuphor-
bIa into his eye. The most popular uIant
roots act as very wholesome tonic. It
,, Is on The point OF extinction in the colony,
ana large price IS nov paid for its roots
When called IN the doctor receives a fee
known as 'ulugXa," varying from three
shIllings TO half a gninea, according tn his
standing. Should cure result further
Zee is ciaiTnable, but failure to cure is up-
| rewarded by payment beyond the call fee.
| Every doctor has TO take out license to
| practice from the magistrate or admins
| traitor OF native law in the district, which
| must be fayorably indOrSed by the chief of
| his or her-for lady doctors have existed
from time immemorIal among the Kaffirs-
| kTall.
| for this license payment of e3 is made.
| ana the holde erisimmetiiately removed from
| the list of practicing physicians 4 So rash as
10 sell, or profess to possess, love phiIters
| or charms to soothe the savage breast. And
IA the code of native law male and female
owners and other quacks. such as rain
or hSntnlng doctors. are expressly forbid
| den to practice tn black art.
lhouGh practically extinct in the colony
| the profession of dream doctor was in fnIl
swing in Zululand prior to the dethrope-
menI OF Cetewayo. and the Y pretended tode-
| tect and smell out" anyone guilty of mall
4 practlces-a convenient method OF doing
| away with awkward relatives and oppon-
| ehts Chaka himself assumed the office of
cream doctor and in pursuit Of his profess
| sion ca on one occasion brutaIIv murdered
TO fewer than 400 women for mere last Of
| nlcCd- His last W ords were in keeping with
MS assumed role Of diviner. for. as he ex-
pred at the hands of Dinsaan' 5 assegais- he
| exclaimed: You think you viii rule this
| country whenl am gone. but see the whita
| man coming and he will be YOUR Inasteru