The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1900-01-27
WlTCHCRAFT lNPENNSY[ WANNA

the child was sufTer1ng because 1t was
fed on sour milk. After a few days
treatment the child had entirely recov-
cred. The mother was suffering from
some internal trouble, which became en-
t1rely cured after an operation for lacerat-
ed cervix.
"A few months ago I was consulted bv
a young man who seemed to be upon the
verge OF becoming a maniac under most
peculiar circumstances. Having some in
significant trouble he had consulted a fe-
male witch doctor, who told him that
his condition was due to a young woman
who had held a penny N her mouth on
a certain occasion when he visited her.
and that as a result he was doomed tc5
pass into consumption and to die within
few months. '"--<
''This alarming statement threw the
young man into a condition of acute
melancholia, which seriously affected his
health. He consulted another we'll known
witch doctor, who confirmed his fears
by assuring him that he was bewitched
and who gave him a charm intended to
break the spell. When he visited me,
having been persuaded to do so by some
acquanta nces who did not believe in
Witchcraft. his mental condition was
really alarming and he believed that he
was afflicted with consumption.
when 7 examined him I found that
the witch doctor had placed a small mus
lin bag on his chest, suspended by a piece
of white tape around his neck. I removed
1t and found that it contained assafoetida
and a lot of curious looking material
which he had been told would drive
| -
it to him.
Il tried in every way to convince this
young man that he need not worry, that
his lungs were perfectly sound, and the
fact Of believing what the colored woman
| had told him and the conjuring of the
other witch doctor was all nonsense and
not to be regarded in the least. He final
| ly went away to visit a brother in the
country, and under the influence of the
change of scene he forgot his Affections.
When [ saw him few days ago his
health was perfect, but at the time when
| he first came to visit me he was in a
fair way to become an inmate of an in
| sane. asylum.
only a few weeks ago I became ac-
| quainted with the cases of two women
on whom a commission in lunacy was
I
lum The testimony plainly showed that
both these women were victims of the
nonsense preached into them by the witch
| doctors. Should such fellows go unpun-
| ished?"
| Dr.. Bartelot showed me a number Of
charms which he had collected from his
| patients. One that will serve as a fair
| sample consists of a small muslin bag,
! Intended to be hung about the neck On
| the outside Of the bag appear the leu
| tiers I. N. r. T. and some meaningless
| characters. Inside it contained a scrap
| OF paper on which was written a charm
! made up, as are many of the incanta-
: tons of the witch doctors, from a curious
book which many of them possess, and
which is called the Seventh Book of Mo-
| SEES. A part Of the writing runs as fol-
| lows:
| II (here is inserted the name of the
beWitched person) forbid you my bed
stead / forbid you my house and yard
| in the name Of God. - forbid you
In the name of God and the Holy Trinity
| my blood and flesh, my body and soul.
| L - forbid you every nail hole in
my house and yard until you climb every
little tree, wade through all little streams,
count all the little stars in the skies, until
the beautiful day shall come when the
mother of God shall bring forth her Sec
ond son, in the name of God the Father
| God the Son. God the Holy Ghost
| The charm runs on at great length in
this vein, and concludes, as do many of
| the others which have come into DR..
| Bertolet's possession, with the following
| form, which is known as the "cabalistic
| square: