ZULU MEDICINE AND MEDICINE-MEN. 57 



fever. In order to facilitate the due expulsion of the after- 

 birth and the proper clearing of the womb, the natives employ 

 the roots of the aforesaid uGoho, along with those of the 

 isiDica (Gladiolus ludwigii). 



The native doctors seriously assert that they can not only 

 alter the sex of the oifspring habitually borne by any woman, 

 but they can actually procure the birth of whichever sex they 

 will. Use is made of that beautiful orange lily (Gloriosa 

 virescens) already referred to, and which is commonly called 

 the miamvu lomfana nentomhhazana. The peculiarity of this 

 plant is in its root ; some roots are said to exhibit the shape 

 of the female organ, while others represent the male. All 

 that is necessary is to physic the wife before coition with a 

 decoction of a root which resembles in shape the organs of 

 whichever sex is desired ! 



I once received the following interesting information as a 

 valuable professional secret. "Your goats perchance have the 

 undesirable habit of bearing always useless males. Catch a 

 weasel (Poecilogale albi nucha), dry it whole, grind it to 

 powder, and administer in water to the she-goats before 

 covering. The result will be female offspring." 



Rheumatism, Heart Complaints, Dropsy, etc. 



Kheumatism in all its forms is very common among the natives 

 owing to the habitual sleeping and sitting on damp ground- 

 floors, and to the constant neglect to change wet clothing. 



In these cases an up-to-date Zulu doctor has first resort 

 to the iFhungulo or steam-bath. The process is described in 

 my Zulu-English dictionary as follows : Certain medicines 

 (which are erroneously supposed by the natives to be the 

 curative element) are boiled in a large pot, over Avhich the 

 patient sits, closely surrounded by grass mats or blankets, 

 until he becomes thoroughly steamed out, the steam being- 

 maintained by the insertion into the water of two or three 

 large red-hot stones. The patient is afterwards sprinkled 

 over the bare body with the same or another similar decoction 



