ZULU MEDICINE AND MEDICINE-MEN. 65 



festing itself in a wild rushing about the country. When 

 this symptom appears — which, of course, in the native view, 

 amounts to a distinct disease — a piece as large as the fist of 

 the very poisonous bulb of the iiiGcolo forest-climber is very 

 thoroughly boiled in a pint or more of water, of which only 

 one teaspoonf ul may be given to drink. This quantity is said 

 to suffice of itself to cause in a healthy individual mental 

 derangement of some kind lasting several hours ; the already 

 delirious, however, it is supposed to bring round. Another 

 plant said to produce a similar kind of insanity (though I 

 have not heard it prescribed as a cure for the same) is the 

 bulb of the iLahathehi (Hypoxis latifolia). 



Skin Diseases, etc. 



Body sores, especially if intractable, are plastered with the 

 ground roots of the inKunzi or iBhejn herb (Bopusia 

 scabra) moistened with a little water. This plant, we may 

 recollect, is a chief specific for the ulcerous rectal disease 

 called isiG-ivehedla or iuGiimhhane. No doubt it really 

 possesses some kind of antiseptic power. This may also be 

 the case with the running pea-like plant uQiuengic or (N) 

 iLozane (Tephrosia macropoda), which is not only cura- 

 tive of sores, but in leaf-exti'act is used for destroying head-lice, 

 and effectually expels intestinal worms from cattle, although 

 dangerously poisonous if rashly taken internally by human 

 beings. 



The umNungioane (Xanthoxylon capense), again, from 

 its use in the preservation of meat and in the treatment of 

 decayed teeth, undoubtedly contains antiseptic powers of a 

 high order, and similarly also the uhuViinhha (Withania 

 somnifera), the leaves of both of which are successfully 

 employed in the healing of sores. 



The leaves and roots of the loShaqa or nShivaivu (Berk- 

 heya sp.), pounded and steeped in cold water, furnish an 

 excellent astringent remedy for the same purpose. 



A general outbreak of sores throughout the body is treated 



VOL. 2, PART 1. 5 



