The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1907-04-18
East INDIAN FOLK MEDICINE
Remedies in Which the Natives Have
Implicit Faith.


Perhaps in no other country in tinlY
world IL tho ''evil eye" as afJset O.
such great dread as in India. You
will cause mortal Fence to a Hin
doc lady should you remark OF her
child, what a nice baby you have
or How baby has grown since ! say
him lasts 5ho makes it rule t.
speak deprecatingly of her child AMI
represents 1t as the victim OF nom
existent ailments so that your eFli
eye shall not affect it. Should sh9
become aware that. in spite 81 hes
precautions, you have defled it with
your admiration, she will lose no
time in counteracting the apprehena-
ed effects of the "drishttdosham.
One of the simplest methods adopted
for this purpose is to take small
quantity Of chillies and salt in the
closed palm And thrbw It into th1 fires
after waving it thrice round the head
of the child to the accompaniment or
lamentations. If no pungent door is
apparent 1t is an Indication that the
dosham has been averted.
The harati eeremeBE, So FREQUENT
ly observed in marriages and othef
festive occasions, is also intended to
counteract the dire influence OF the
evil eye. A plate containing saHron
water is held by two ladies In front
of the married couple about a score
of times during the. progress, or
Hihdeo marriage so that the admira@
ton of the spectators shall not IN
1uriously affect the bride or the
bridegroom. The curious ceremonies
of which her Royal Highness the
Princess Of Wales formed the central
figure within a few hours after her
landing on Indian shores were In one
way intended to be sort of insur-
ance against the possible effects or
the evil eye.
If a child in arms be taken into
the open air and bird fly directly
over it's head the infant will be rap
idly reduced to a mere skeleton.
The only remedy is to give 1T Tor
some days few drops of an oil ex-
tractad 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 ar two
claws may be worn near the IONS,
but should one possess a larger num-
Der the fortunate owner makes a
garland of them and wears them
around his neck. Deer's horn,
ground into a fine Paste, is an excel
lent balm for pains ard swellings. A
more curious use is found for the
same substance; 1t 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 a door. A remedy
which / have seen applied with con
siderable effect in more than one
epiletic fit is to place 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 Oh
! the head.
| Sore throat is cured by splitting on
red hot iron-quite the simplest and
| least expensive cure known to tie
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.