The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-10-25
EAST INDIAN FOLK MEDICINE.
Remedies in Which the Natives Have
'r Implicit Faith.

Implicit Faith.
Perhaps in no other country In the
world is the "evil eye" an object OF
such great dread as In India. You
will cause mortal offence to- Hin
doc lady should you remark Of her
child, what nice baby you have!"
or "How baby has grown since i saw
him last!" She makes it a rule to
speak deprecatingly of her child and
represents 1T as the victim of non
existent ailments so that your evil
eye shall not affect 1t. Should she
become aware that. In spite Of her
precautions, you have denied 1t with
your admiration, she will lose no
time In counteracting the apprehend-
ed effects Of the "drishtidosham."
One of the simplest methods adopted
for this purpose is to take a small
quantity Of chillies and salt in the
closed palm and thraw it into the fire,
after waving it thrice round the head
of the child to the accompaniment of
incantations. If no pungent odor is
apparent it is an indication that the
dosham has been averted.
The harati ceremony, so frequent
ly observed in marriages and other
festive occasions, is also intended to
counteract the dire influence of the
evil eye. A plate containing saffron
water is held by two ladies in front
of the married couple about score
of times during the progress OF
Hindoo marriage SO that the admira-
ton of the spectators shall not in
juriously affect the bride Or the
bridegroom The curious ceremonies
of which her Royal Highness the
Princess of Wales formed the central
figure within few hours after her
landing on Indian shores were in one
way intended to be a sort Of insur-
ance against the possible effects Of
the evil eye.
If. a child in arms be taken into
the open air and a bird fly directly
over it's head the infant will be rap
idly reduced to mere skeleton.
The only remedy is to give it for
some days a few drops Of an oil ex-
tracted from the titturupitta, kind
Of sparrow.
Great virtues are ascribed to the
claws and horns of certain animals.
Tigers claws are in great demand
with the common people. One or two
claws may be worn near the loins,
but should one possess a larger num-
Der the fortunate owner makes
garland of them and wears them
around his neck. Deer's horn,
ground into fine paste, is an excel
lent balm for pains and swellings. A
more curious use is found for the
same substance; it Is sometimes
made into a powder which is sup
posed to aid the growth of stunted
women. The joints taken from the
long and slender tail of the black
scorpion are supposed to keep illness
at arms distance when children wear
them on their waist thread.
A red or swollen eye is cured by
having it touched with the bolt or
chain attached to door. A remedy
which I have seen applied with con-
siderable effect in more than one
epiletic fit is to place a bunch of keys
in the palm Of the sufferer. I have
heard it said that the fit passes away
as readily if the keys are placed On
the head.
Sore throat is cured by splitting on
red hot iron-quite the simplest and
least expensive cure known to the
native doctor. Peacock's flesh and
pigs ghee are the best medicines for
acute rheumatism. Cobwebs are
most useful in boils and in skin dis
eases of all kinds.