The Bozeman courier., 1927-11-25
(By MRS. NJ. E. PLAssMANN)

are accustomed to think of med
MA I icine men as confined to Indians,
Wv although primitive men Of all
races have looked to them for aid
in sickness, under one name or another.
We are also wont to believe that these
practitioners lived and throve by i'm
posing on the credulity of those to whom
they ministered. This conviction arose,
in part, from the medicine man having
enacted the double role of priest and
doctor. He posed as an intermediary be-
tween the patient and the supernatural,
which he profesSed to be able to meet
on equal terms, with the chances Of ulti-
mate victory, however, rather in his
favor.
He had to make good in the majority
of cases, as those who patronized him
would stand for no nonsense on his part.
If he failed in too many instances to
cure, whether by natural or supernatu-
raj means, the Indians were apt to con-
slider him bad medicine, and take strin-
gent measures to rid themselves of his
further ministrations.
There is nothing strange in the fact
that the medicine man kept the secrets
of his profession hidden from the laity.
This, to some extent has always been
done in all ages and among all people.
Even today a physicians prescription is
unintelligible to the uninitiated.
To gain the full confidence of the
/
terspersed with chanted invocations and
much noise from rattleS or drums. But
with these strenuous efforts to overcome
evil spirits, the medicine men used good
common sense remedies; are reported to
have been remarkably successful in cur
ing certain diseases, and they are said
to have been able to cure bites of poison
GUS snakes and venemOus insects. The
herb they used for this latter purpose
was generally found in the locality fire.
quented by the snakes. Sometimes it
was used as an application to draw out
the poison, and again, tea was made
Of this weed or another that was equally
efficacious. The MeXicans also were ia
miliar with this antidote.
Cure for Snake Bite
OF the latter cure, General Wheeler
states In his recent work, entitled "Buf-
falo Days." learned this on an occa-
sion a party Of them (AGexicans) were
working on my ranch during haying.
/ One Of the Mexican children was bitten
by rattlesnake while trying to feed
the reptile a grasshopper! One
OF the Mex1cans at once found the weed
in the creek bottom, made the tea and
gave the child some Of it to drink, at
the time applying the weed to the wound
1 The sufferer recovered" The Mextcans
undoubtedly learned Of this plant and
| it's virtues from the medicine men.
Common diseases the medicine men
usually found no difficulty in curing;
but they were helpless when called upon
to treat smallpox, or measles. There was
an easy explanation Of this, when we
understand their methods of treatment
For many troubles they used the sweat
bath, followed by a plunge into cold wa
ter. This was excellent for many cases
but fatal in those diseases mentioned
above.
When Father Hennepin arrived among
the Indians Of the upper Mississippi, the
Indians prescribed sweat bath for him
to overcome the fatigue from which he
was suffering. His wishes in the matter
were not consulted. The treatment proved
to be Of benefit, although the Father
found it rather severe.
One writer tells of his own expert.
ence in taking a bath Of this kind.
low hut was constructed of willows anc
covered with robes. The writer and
companion crept inside when red ho-
stones were placed in the center Of thI
hut on the ground and sprinkled with
water. The hot steam soon filled thG
place in and almost suffocated the whitl
men, who could breathe only by keeping
their faces close to the ground. TheI
came the cold plunge, which seemed re-