Economic Life 409 



Plants and Trees Used in the Treatment of Disease. — Most 

 sickness is thought to be caused by spirits, either with evil intent or to 

 punish some wrong-doing or oversight on the part of the people. To 

 placate or bribe these superior beings, elaborate ceremonies are held, 

 but in addition to these a number of simple remedies are made use of. 

 The efficacy of some of these medicines is explained by the fact that 

 certain leaves or infusions are distasteful to the spirits of disease, 

 which, consequently, take their departure. Again, a trouble such as a 

 tooth-ache is caused by a small worm which is gnawing at the tooth. 

 To overcome this, the bark and leaves # of the aletn tree are thoroughly 

 beaten, and are applied to the face. The worm smells the crushed leaves, 

 and straightway enters the poultice which is then burned. The spirits 

 which bring the cholera can be driven away by burning the leaves of 

 sobosob (Blumea balsamifera) , bangbangsit (Hyptis suavolens Poir.) 

 and dala (?) beneath the house; likewise, the bark of the bani (?) 

 keeps the bearers of constipation at a distance. Bangbangsit is also con- 

 sidered as a cure for stomachache, diarrhoea, and is an aid in bringing 

 on menstruation. When used for these purposes, the root is boiled, and 

 the liquor is drunk. The fresh leaves will also relieve a pain in the 

 stomach if applied to it, while the fruit is eaten to cure diarrhoea. If 

 the patient is already affected with cholera or dysentery, the leaves of 

 the sobosob are placed in a jar of water at the mouth of which a clay 

 ball is suspended, and the whole is then completely covered with banana 

 leaves. The pot it placed over a fire, and the steam being unable to 

 escape is absorbed by the clay. Later this is crushed, is mixed with 

 water, and is swallowed by the patient. Lard burned to a crisp is like- 

 wise mixed with water, and is drunk to relieve diarrhoea. 



Fever is a frequent ailment, and several medicines are employed 

 against it. The most common is to crush the leaves of the dangla 

 (Vitex negundo L.) in vinegar made from basi, and to add to this a 

 fourth part of urine. The patient drinks a shell cup of the liquor, is 

 washed in cold water, and then is briskly rubbed with fine salt. Young 

 banana leaves are applied to the flesh, and over these blankets are 

 placed. This is repeated twice daily until the fever is broken. Wild 

 tomato leaves, pounded and applied to the abdomen, are also considered 

 valuable in causing the patient to sweat. If the trouble is unusually 

 severe, a hot bath is prepared by boiling the leaves of the lemon, atis 

 (Anona squamosa L.), and toltolang (?) trees in water. After the 

 patient has been bathed in this, he is wrapped in blankets. The same 

 remedy is used to cure fits. 



Snake bite is treated by chewing the bark of the alonen (Streblus 



