Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-10-06

Queer Ideas About AIIeViatinq
Bodily Suffering.
MAGIC CURES OF THE TURKS.

The Treatment TO Which Crippled
Children Are Observation-Disclosures OF
Garlic and Strings CT Blue Beads IS
Panaeess Against All Kinds Of Ills.
y stone strikes some part OF the body
OF an oriental and inficts a wound
The train of ideas that this accident
would produce I'm his mind would run
something like this: The stone is the
cause Of pain. the cause OF the wound
1t is the principal origin Of the trouble
But the essence Of every origin is hiG-
den. secret and therefore sacred. Tue
stone becomes an awe inspiring fetch
The wound is neglected. The fetch
has 10 be propltiated This simple b.
lustration is borne out and supported
by everyday experience which med
zeal men encounter in the east
Another Instance may be derivoI
from among the lower classes Of tho
Greek population Of Coustantinople. a
child falls and cuts his head. Tho
first thought 81 the parent is 20 be sure
not 20 wash and 20 bind UP the wound.
still less 10 call medical assistance.
however grave the cut may turn out
20 be. This IS always an afterthoucht.
which very often comes so late tha.
the help OF Il surgeon can prove OF no
use.
The first thing the father or mother of
the injured child thinks OF doing is %
pour over the shoulder upon the place
OF the accident n libation OF Wine or
suGared water and 20 whisper In per
forming This some mysterious formu
supposed 20 possess supernatural eri-
cacy against every form OF evil
The Mosiems are addicted 70 the
queerest practices for purposes Of heal
ing or alternating bodily pain. \ Turk.
for instance in distress or suGerir-
from some disease. however severe.
knows OF uo better remedy than 20 Gx
piece OF his dress. torn Of with true
oriental eQuanimity. 10 an iron bar OF
some saints tomb or 20 drink water
from tumbler into which be has pro
viously put sheet q paper with writ
inSs from the Koran. Sometimes re
viii take jar. the interior OF which
has been written al over with strange
formulate and signs. he viii then GIL
It with water. watt I'LL these formulce
solved and drink the singular solution
with an absolute faith in its wonder
working efficacy.
Sheltered by the SOmber Expresses
Of the great Mohammedan cemetery ut
Scutari (tbe ancient ChrySopoiis on the
Asiauc coast OF the BoSporuSl the-e
stands IN picturesque solitude the tomb
OF a horse Every Friday afternoon
Turkish mothers carry 20 that tomb
their crippled children 10 be- submitted
by select "6hodja' pr.e>r 70 an ey-
traordinary course 90 treatment These
children are dragged. With Jheir dis
eaSed limbs dangling over the hiuocS.
from one end OF the tomb 90 the other
and then back again IN the same fash
ion. The occult influence emanaung
from this hillock is supposed 20 be an
all efficient Qauacca
Il is not dlficulJ 20 trace in this case
the crude. Imperfect association ot
ideas. The horse has long been con
Sidered an emblem of viSor typityiu-.
as Ruskin says. "the dow and force
OF life" Hence the belief or the ori-
entail. inherited. no doubt. from tle
Greeks. in tue all couQuerins virtue
and influence OF occult and mysterious
eHuvia which are supposed 20 emauare
/ constantly from a horses tomb
The wearing OF ueck.ace OF blue
beads or or Sarlic as a. potent means
of keeping away disease or or wariiu-
of the evil eye IS quite % universal
matter OF sincere belief n the whole
Of Turkey. This superstition Is shared.
/ rs is wen known. by the lower classes
81 many . country iu civilized eastern
Europe There. however. il is NOT SO
universal aud dagraut rs I'm the orient.
There Is scarcely house In TIE
MoSlcm. Greek and Armenian districts
Of the population OF COuStantinop.e
which has not hanging above its en-
/ trance door Il collection OF garlic and
scarcely a beast OF toll which has nc-
/ attached 70 some part Of it q strin4
I - blue beads. Among the uneducatel
/ it IS impossible 10 6ud an individual
who does not pin absolute faith 60 tlo
all healing power OF such charms.
especially OF blue beads. which are
supposed 10 be an unfauing panaces
against every possible ill.,
Less general is the belief IN the east
I IN the balcfui influence or the planets
/ Saturn and Mars upon the constitution
/ 0f the human body. upon its four car
| dinal humors blood. phleEm. yellow
/ bile and black bile. These planets are
/ considered by some orientals. especial
/ ly in the far south. as the uCUiStaA
able causes OF all sorts OF ailments
Woe unto him who begins any work
when Saturn O. Mars IS in the ascend
Sus-Cleveland Plain Dealer.