42 KP^V. ALFRED T. BRYAXT. ' 



The natives attribute many of their chronic coughs to 

 scrofula, especially such dry coughs as, although persistent, 

 are not accompanied by any general constitutional distur- 

 bance. Under this category the native would, I believe, 

 include even asthma {isiFuha somoya). 



A remedy highly spoken of for such scrofulous coughs is 

 the uMathunga (Cyrtanthus obliquus). Having removed 

 the external covering of a four-inch bulbous root, the whole 

 of the inner portion is boiled in a quart or so of water, and ,a 

 dessert-spoonful of the decoction taken once daily over several 

 weeks or even for a couple of months. A clyster is also occasion- 

 ally given, consisting of about a cupful of the warm decoction, 

 diluted with another of simple warm water. A meal of Kafir- 

 corn porridge is eaten at the same time, with the result that a 

 thorough purging takes place, supposedly clearing out the 

 system generally. The uDlutslian a (Aster asper) is another 

 specific for these scrofulous coughs. A tablespoonful of the 

 crushed roots is thoroughly boiled so as to leave about a 

 small cupful of liquid, of which a teaspoonful is taken once a 

 day. Or an emetic may be made of a slightly larger quantity 

 of the crushed root thoroughly boiled in water so as to leave 

 a large cupful of extract, which is drunk and soon afterwards 

 followed by copious draughts of simple warm water to ease 

 the vomiting. Any other of the remedies prescribed for 

 scrofula might also be used for these scrofulous coughs. 



The natives seem to be ignorant of the anti-spasmodic 

 properties of stramonium {i.Yoli) in case of asthma, notw^ith- 

 standing that the plant grows as a weed on almost every old 

 kraal-site. But for the shoi-tness of breath accompanying 

 this last-named, as well as heart diseases, the roots of the 

 1)lue-flowered u3Iampeshana (0 1 d e n 1 a n d i a d e c u m b e n s) are 

 crushed, boiled, and the decoction drunk. 



The uDosi or wild-beast's hair, supposed to be present in 

 the air-tubes and to cause bronchitic and similar coughs, is 

 " removed " by the IDum bhi-liJia'ntloyile (H a? m a n t h u s 

 natalensis). Of this the roots are boiled and the liquid 

 drunk as an emetic. 



