194 THE MEDICINE MAN IN NATAL AND ZULULAND. 



than in Xatal), but it must be heard by a Magistrate. Native 

 medicine men and herbalists receive attention under Zululand 

 Proclamation No. 7 of 1895. The annual licence there, how- 

 ever, is only ii. An alien doctor, from outside the territory of 

 Zululand, is required to take out a monthly licence at the rate 

 of 2s. 6d. 'for each patient he attends. No goats or beasts can 

 be demanded to be killed, nor can the medicine man require that 

 the meat of any goat or beast be supplied for the purjx)se of 

 better effecting a cure. The reason for this is presumably two- 

 fold — to 4)revent the doctor from increasing his preliminary fee 

 by the acquisition of meat, and to dispel the idea that portions 

 of these animals are a necessary requisite in the cure. It is safe 

 to say that this prohibition is not taken very seriously. The 

 earnings of midwives, both in Natal and Zululand, are not to be 

 regarded as a personal perquisite, but belong to their special 

 house : they, like all Native women, are minors in law, and act 

 merely as agents. The fees due to them, and the debts contracted 

 b} them in the course of their profession, can only be recovered 

 or discharged by their principals — the husband, father, or 

 guardian. 



It is the opinion of many that the licensing of Native d(Ktors 

 is a mistake, and should no longer be permitted. By others it is 

 contended that the legal restrictions which encircle them serve 

 a useful purpose, and give some mea.sure o»f protection to their 

 clients, who might otherwise be preyed U[>on to a greater extent 

 if these restrictions were withdrawn. Not a few, notably cer- 

 tain missionaries, think that the office should be abolished alto- 

 gether, and that it should be made illegal for any Native to 

 practice as a medicine man. There is one direct evil which should 

 be remedied — the sale of so-called medicines by licensed doctors. 

 This is especially the case in towns where, under cover of this 

 licence, the vending of atrocities which are called medicines has 

 become an established practice in the streets, and at recognized 

 depots. These wares are not confined to roots and herbs, but 

 include a variety of other products of high medicinal value, such 

 as snake flesh and skin, powdered bones, portions of the dried 

 flesh of wild animals, the fat of birds and beasts, mysterious 

 powders, and the many other substances known to the Native 

 pharmacopoeia. 



It may be of interest to give some idea as to the number 

 of natives who have been granted licences as medicine men. In 

 1909 the numbers were : 754 in Natal, and 683 in Zululand. 

 The total population is then shown as 1,039,269. of whicii 

 245,335 were resident in Zululand, and the remainder in Natal. 

 (Fifty years before, the Native population in Natal was computed 

 at 150,000.) According to the statistics of 1909 there was. 

 roughly, one licensed doctor in Natal to every 1,050 Natives, and 

 in Zululand one for every 360. In 1914 the number of practi- 

 tioners for both territories is shown as 1,924. an increase of 

 487 in five years. To-day it is probably larger. There are many 

 unlicensed men, especially in locations, who are content to save 



