Hottman.] «^i^ [May 3, 



Here there is apparently a relic of a belief in the transference of disease, 

 of whicli more will be said further on. 



Pleurisy. 



To cure pleurisy the child must be passed beneath a table to an assistant. 



It is neces?ary to state, in this connection, that pleurisy is believed to be 

 caused by the attachment of the liver to the ribs ; the cure being to rupture 

 this adhesion by stretching the body. This disease is commonly known 

 as liver-grown — ci'^gewak'sa, lit., grown fast. 



Purging and Purgatives. 



A decoction of the leaves of the bone set — Eupatorium perfoliatum L. — 

 although recognized by physicians as a tonic, is used both as an emetic 

 and purgative by the people generally. If the leaves are stripped from the 

 plant in an upwai'd manner it is emetic, and if pulled downward it is 

 purgative. 



The belief in the virtue of the remedy, whether removed from stalk in 

 one direction, or another, survives also with respect to the following : 



A decoction of dogwood bark — Cornus florida L. — is given as a purga- 

 tive, as well as to produce emesis ; but the desired result depends up>n 

 the manner in whicli tlie dose lias been prepared. The belief pertaining 

 to these eflfects, the preiuiration ot tlie1)iirk, and the decoction, is as follows ; 

 When the mixture is to act as an emetic, the bark is scraped from ilie 

 branches from below upicard — when the s.ip is rising in the spring. This 

 is put into boiling water and a strong decoction made, which, if swallowtd, 

 will quickly produce the desired effect. If, however, a purgative is wanted, 

 the bark must be scraped downward, in autumn, when the sap is believed 

 to run downwao'd. The scrapings must be put into a vessel of cold water 

 and boiled for a considerable period of time. If a sufficient quantity be 

 swallowed; purging follows. 



That the desired effect is generall}- attained by adults ifiay appear 

 singular, but it may readily be attributed to the will and action of the 

 patient himself. The decoction, if taken as an emetic, is readily disposed 

 of at the earliest sense ot nausea, but when the purpose is to purge, the 

 patient, with some effort on his part, retains the obnoxious mixture 

 until it has passed beyond the control of the stomach into the intestines, 

 when the desired result follows. 



A mixture of sulphur and molasses is frequently given to children, to 

 purge, as well as to purify the system, in spring. 



Various mixtures are resorted to by adults for the same purpose, to pre- 

 pare the system for the warm weather and to remove the impurities from 

 the blood, which are supposed to have accumulated during the pre- 

 ceding winter. Should this be neglected one is in danger of having various 

 kinds of eruptions. 



