ZULU WITCH DOCTORS. 3O9 



some of the commoner practices as seen from a native's stand- 

 point. 



For the following description of the native doctors" method 

 of treating disease I am indebted to Isaiah Wosiana. a trustworthy 

 native df Mapumulo Mission Station. While giving a libeiul 

 translation, I have aimed to give, as far as jxxssible, the thouglit 

 and expression in English as it was given in the original Zulu. 



The Nati\-k Doct(ir.s — >l()\v Thk^' Trkat Diskase. 



A sickness which is in the body is treated thus : 



A fever is cured In medicines made of green herl>s. A fever which 

 is causing a' hot pain inside the body, similar to the pain caused i)y an 

 eruption of inflammatory condition of the skin on the outside, is best 

 cured by a liitter medicine. Isibani (th:it is, the bark oi a certain treei 

 should be mixed with Katazu (this is the !)ulbous root of a small i)iant t 

 and with Ndaliiqivatu (another root) and with Xduinji;hi (another kind 

 of bulb) and with green herbs such as Xapo.zi (an herl), and Ih);za (a 

 tree). The bitterness of these medicines will cure the fever Wlicn these 

 medicines have been properly compounded they should be mixed with 

 watr and taken with a spoon as often as desired. 



Another fever is caused by biliousness. In this case it is necessary to 

 cause vomiting with emetics, which will remove the bile from the stomach. 



The severe sickness in the body and in the blood are cured by 

 medicines which are strong and powerful, mixed with the flesh .and fat of 

 Ix^asts- 



If the blood comes out of the body through the nose or mouth, it is 

 necessary to take the bark of trees which have the juice like blood, and 

 parts of an animal which bleeds readily when touched, and parts of an 

 animal which has much blood in its body. These are mixed together arid 

 tlien the blood of an animal like a goat is mixed with them. The 1)1( od of 

 the goat destroys the poisonous properties vv'hicli the mixture would other- 

 wise have. The whole combination is then burned and the ashes made 

 into a powder. This powder is divided into three parts. One part is to 

 be taken internally. A second part is to be put into a dish which has 

 been heated over the fire; a little water is added, and the patient is then 

 to quickly touch it with the lingers of the left hand and lick the medicine 

 off his fingers. Then he is to do the same with his right hand, and 

 so alternately until he has taken all the medicine. A third part is to be 

 introduced into the body by making cuts in the skin and rubliing the 

 medicine into these cuts. It thus goes into the body directly, rhe tree 

 from which this powerful medicine is ubta'ned is (he ( nullrbc tree — which 

 bleeds blood — and is found in Hasaland. Another such tree, the ^'A'flr!J 

 is found in Swaziland. These are the trees which are- m'xed with the 

 animals which have much blood. 



Another sickness in tlie body is treated with the I'at of animals and 

 with their flesh. If a person is sick with nervousness and fear, it is 

 necessary to take the heart and eyes of a lion, also its fat; also the fat 

 and flesh of an elephant, and the fat and flesh of all powerful animals; 

 these to be mixed with the bark of many kinds of trees. The i)art of the 

 animal preferably taken is the part which is just below the chest, where 

 one feels the palpitation of the heart. I'here siiould be mixed with this 

 combination the blood of a cow or a sheep, and the_ whole burned and 

 made into a powder. This is a powerful medicine, to be taken mternally. 

 Also, it is very efficacious if rubbed into the body through the holes cut 

 in the skin over a painful spot. The lion is put in on account of its 

 strength- It prevents the disease from growing in the body. A python is 

 put in to keep the disease in one place, to prevent its spreading because 

 a p3'thon holds everything together. The fat of anin.ials is put m to 

 increase the other beneficial properties of the medicine, and to make it 

 more powerful. 



