274 
THE NATIVE TREATMENT OF DISEASES IN KASSALA AND NEIGHBOURHOOD 
Diseases 
lungs 
Leprosy 
Syphilis 
When the worm escapes they either 
(1) Wind it round a small piece of wood, winding a little more each day, or 
(2) Tie a piece of thread round the worm and then round the limb to prevent the 
worm retiring. 
of the Diseases of the Luutjs. Phthisis, pneumonia, lironcho-pneumonia, bronchitis, etc., are 
all regarded as identical, but the native knows from experience that expectoration of blood 
continued for any time is serious ; they have no idea that the expectoration is infective in 
phthisis. 
They employ for all kinds of coughs 
(1) Karkade,^ aijparently the petals and sepals of a pink flower, in a dried 
condition. A small handful is made into an infusion and drunk. 
(2) Ilazambal, a root, stewed with sugar and taken like a sweet. 
I h/sciiteri/. Treated by either 
((f) a diet composed entirely of a soup made of onions, or 
{!>) opium made up as a suppository with fat or oil and placed in the rectum. 
Leprosi/. Recognised as an incurable and infectious disease. Isolation is often 
insisted on and no drugs are given. 
To induce rreguaiicy. A special llegaih (charm) is worn. If a woman become thin 
and in poor health she takes (lo)i(jahice,'‘ apparently a powdered grain (like dura flour), a 
handful lieing placed in hot water and then drunk. This they consider makes them fat and 
produces large breasts. 
To prevent T regnanoy, or cause Ahortion. They sipieeze the milk from the Dead Sea 
apple fruit,® place it on cotton wool and deposit it in the vagina. 
To increase Sexual J’oirer in the ^^ale. "Many drugs are taken, especially haschish and 
opium. However, the penis of the crocodile eaten with spices is considered to be the most 
potent of all in this respect. 
Syphilis. They recognise the contagiousness of this disease, and iir the male connect 
the primary sore with the subsequent manifestations ; thii? knowledge has apparently existed 
for a very long time. It is considered that the male with sores on his penis or eruptions 
on the body may convey the disease to the female ; the female may convey it to the male if 
((() she has outward and visible signs of the disease ; 
(h) if she only has it “ internally,” then contagion occurs solely if copulation takes 
place during the menstrual period. 
Treatment. When infection is apparent, even as the primary sore, Eshha (Sarsaparilla) 
is pounded up in hot water, and some of the infusion is drunk night and morning. This 
treatment is continued for a week, and during this period patients must not eat or drink tea, 
coffee, salt, pe^jper or vegetables, but their diet consists of honey (especially) sugar, meat 
and kissera (made without salt). 
The natives hold that smoke from a fire greatly aggravates the disease, but it they are 
drinking the Eshha the fumes are harmless. 
If the disease is in a virulent form, Kunsh (a spice) is added to the treatment, and the 
patient is kept in a closed tukl, the light being excluded from the dwelling, and the door 
being only opened to allow of the admission of food. 
■ Hibiscus siilK/.'iriffu, Limi. Red Sorrel of West Indies. — A.H. 
’ This is prohalily (timynlcisr, the pnlp surrounding the .seeds of tlio “Cream of Tartar tree,” Ailnnsuniii 
d.i(fif(Uu. — A.Ii. 
= Culnlrujiis iiriicerit, Ait. Tlic Usliar plant. — A. 11. 
