70 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



became covered with crusted sores. The usual remedies were 

 kokomuka (i.e., koromiko), a preparation of the shrub hanehane 

 (Geniostoma liqustri folium), and the oil expressed from the 

 seeds of the titoki-tree. 



Eczema of the scalp was treated with the kohu-kohu ointment 

 used for the itch, and with a lotion made from the pukatea plant. 



Ringworm (muna, patito) was washed with the lotion pre- 

 pared from the rata bark, and a preparation of the root of hara- 

 Iceke (flax-plant). 



Eyk-diskases. 



The native custom of lighting fires in their huts and closing 

 all the apertures by which the smoke might find egress was natur- 

 ally productive of much ocular and pulmonary irritation in those 

 who passed the long winter nights in such a vitiated atmosphere. 

 Weak eyes (toretore), watery eyes (toriivai), styes, or boils of the 

 eyelid (kiritona), ectropion, or eversion of the eyelids (kirikiri- 

 tona, or karu-kowhiti), and other inflammatory conditions of the 

 superficial parts of the eye were of common occurrence. The 

 process of tattooing the eyelids, both from the mechanical in- 

 jury and the subsequent inflammatory processes, must also have 

 resulted at times in serious ocular disease. 



Rewha (squint) and paua (corneal opacities ? .) were some- 

 times seen, while blindness (pura, pareivha, or matapo) was not 

 unknown. 



The term toriwai is applied to weakness of the eyes with 

 excessive lachrymation, for the relief of which the Maoris use 

 the sap of the creeper aka kura (Metrosideros scandens). A piece 

 of the creeper is cut into short lengths, one end of which is placed 

 in the mouth, and by blowing the sap is forced out at the other 

 end : this is collected and applied to the eyes. The sap of 

 kopukupuku is used in cases of toretore, as are also the green oil 

 of the it'toih'-tree (J/eelr//<oi creel-sum), and the bruised pith of 

 the mamaku (Ci/athea medullara). 



A kiritona or stye on the eyelid, when maoa, or ripe, is squeezed 

 to express the core (whatu, or ru/aw/a), and then bathed with 

 human milk. 



Dimness of vision, and perhaps blindness, were attributed 

 sometimes to the atuakahu, but the causes leading to inflammatory 

 conditions of the conjunctiva must have been quite obvious 

 to the natives. For the relief of blindness (matapo, eye-dark- 

 n sss) certain charms were recited, and Taylor* gives the fol- 

 lowing example : — 



[rimata, [rimata 

 Weromata, Weromata, 

 He wai >> mata ki fce ra, 



• ••'IV [ka a Maui. p. 39. 



