The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-05-26
OLD WOMEN DOCTORS
EFFECT MARVELLOUS CURES
Patients Must Fast -Four Days
No Matter What The
Nature Of Wound


Weleetka, Okla, May 26.-~Among
lac Greek Indians certain old women
are renowned for their skin In the
treatment Of gunshot wounds Chltto
Hari0 or Crazy Snake, sought one OF
them after he was sliot In the leg In
the fight with officers ut his home
near Pierce. The knowledge OF sur
gerry aud medicine possessed by these
old women Is OF the most primitive
kind Il came down through gener-
aliuns, and much Of tribal myth and
superstition enters into their practice
They never attemrt amputations, and
rely mostly upon poultlces and herbs,
One of the old Creek women doc.
tors, simahoya, said to be nearly 100
years old, was found recently at a
full blood Creek indian Baptist
church northeast OF here. whore the
congregation had assembled satur.
day to be in time for the services
sunday She sat placidly smoking o
clay pipe Her long, stralght hair
hung disheveled, her brown face was
wIthered and thin, and her body ema.
ciated Her mind seemed to be keen,
however, and her eyes sparkled with
curiosity at sight OF the armed white
men. She accepted with evident
pleasure a glft OF plug tobacco. which
she tied securely in the corner Of
her apron. aud offered no objection
when man with a kodak took her
picture =
The methods OF these women doc.
tors ls said TO be similar 10 those Of
tae Indian men doctors, Of whom
more Is known The Creek Indian
iorbida any person, even the mother
and father to come near his patient.
for whom he becomes both physician
and nurse staying beside him night
ana day A young man or woman.
unmarried may come within speak
Ing distance to Inquire about the
patients aealth Regardless Of where
ihe wound Is inflicted the patient IS
required no fast four days, the doc
tor joining IN the fast ~ the next
four days the patient rs allowed To
take light n0urlhsmeni, such as
"sofky" kind OF boiled corn. Then
follows soup containing Wild meat
such aa quail or squirrel.
The wound ls dressed twice each
day and once each night II Is probed
with winged feathers Of the horned
owl These feathers are soft and
yelvety. and give less pain than 3
rubber or steel probe The feathers
are also used In washing the wound
aud II applying the medicine, After
about eight days, young, unmarried
people are allowed 70 call on The
patient.
The removal Of bullet from e
mans body without the use Of knife
" not beyond the skin OF these IN.
dian doctors. The doctor examines
the wound TO determine the size Of
the opening. and takes from his col.
lection OF hollow cane reeds one that
fits the wound TNae end OF the reed
that Is inserted into the wound has
been followed evenly and smoothly.
Little by little the reed II inserted.
until his car close 10 the end Of the
reed 90 hear the impact. The A0.
lowed end OF the reed Is gradually
placed over the bullet. With the
either end OF the reed IN his mouth.
the Indian doctor. BY suction. tries
gently 10 dlsl0dge the bullet. aud
continues In ums manner until the
bullet has been Withdrawn from the
wound After the bullet has been
extracted the old doctor returns "a
hts owl feaihera, and uses no ether
instrument