70 REV. ALFRED T. BRYANT. 



soil. At the same moment as the sown seed sprouts through 

 the earth the thorn will emerge from the flesh in which it is 

 embedded ! 



Others insert a pinch of pulverised iiiKoinankoma root 

 (N. filix-mas) into the wound with an equally propitious 

 result. 



Wounds. 



Quite 50 per cent, of Zulu men bear ugly scars {iziuGozi) 

 about the head or body as souvenirs of faction or other fights. 

 Some of these^ covering split or splintered bones, cause them 

 periodical pain {iziLalo) throughout all their after-life. For 

 AvoundSj when fresh, whether caused by assegai or stick, the 

 native possesses nothing better than the uhuHIungivana herb 

 (Wedelia natal en sis). The leaves are bruised and steeped 

 in a little cold water, a few drops of the extract are poured 

 into the wound and the whole of the leaf-paste jjlastered over 

 it and bound on like a poultice. The action of the herb is to 

 prevent inflammation, Avith all its consequent pain and sup- 

 puration, thus ensuring immediate healing. Another herb used 

 under like circumstances is the it^xOfiiVZe (Jatropha hirsuta), 

 tho dried bulbous root being pulverised and sprinkled on the 

 fresh wound. 



Broken Limbs and S p rains. 



Broken limbs are not so frequent with this bellicose people 

 as are broken skulls, and yet they must necessarily occur at 

 times, especially from falls. Considering the remarkable lack 

 of inventive genius among the natives, it almost surprises us 

 to find that they had already discovered the use of splints even 

 before the white man's coming. True, it was only a rude con- 

 trivance, formed of a couple of split dog's bones, which were 

 firmly bound on each side of the fractured limb and acted Avell 

 enough. But their main reliance was on certain herbs, w^hich 

 were said to have the wonderful power of " making fractured 

 bones unite. '^ Chief amongst these we note the uMathuvga 



