282 
MEDICAL PKACTICES AND SUPEKSTITIONS OF KOIIDOFAN 
Bdiefs 
bearing on the 
etiology of 
d isease 
'I'he Evil Eye 
Cliarms 
against the 
Evil Eye 
Preventive 
and curative 
roots 
ruined in their endeavours to regain liealth at tlie hands of holy men. One had 
spent fifteen years with its hard earned wage hoping for the miraculous extraction 
of a 3 oz. vesical calculus, subsequently removed by operation ; whilst a woman had 
endured seventeen years of poverty, trusting to be eventually delivered of a child which 
insisted on living in nteni throughout this period ! Nor among a people whose theory of 
disease is based entirely on supernatural visitation can one expect otherwise; thus it is, 
indeed, that all types of malady fall within the scope of supernatural cures. The native not 
unnaturally considers, and is encouraged to do so, that jirevention is better than cure ; he 
therefore purchases and wears a collection of preventive charms and safeguards, and in like 
manner his children from their earliest years. One will seldom find an Arab who does not 
carry at least a talisman against the evil eye, another against evil spirits, and one or 
two having to do with love. 
i'ansatiun af lliseuf:e. 
Taking into consideration, under two comprehensive headings, the chief factors which 
(from a native standpoint) bear on the production of disease, we have in the first place : — 
The Evil Eye —probably the commonest cause of malady, and one greatly dreaded by 
these people; the late Khalifa himself being, I believe, particularly superstitious in this 
resi)eet. It may be acquired or hereditary, more usually the former, in which case persistent 
jealousy and ungratified covetousness have gradually “ poisoned the glance,” so that all 
persons, animals and even things looked upon are harmed, to a greater or lesser degree. The 
possessor of such an eye is termed “ Sahar,” an Evil One. He is soon detected and avoided, 
local calamities are attributed to him, and he not infrequently falls under the hand of the 
law. Being, as a rule, banished from place to place, he becomes an outcast among men. 
Some are said deliberately to acquire the evil eye for the power it gives them of inflicting 
trouble and disease on their enemies; others are content to buy the services of a “ Sahar ” 
for such an end, whilst childless wives possess almost unknowingly this evil iniluence over 
the newly married and their offspring, expected or produced. The detection of the evil-eyed 
is a matter of great difficulty. They are generally “ known by their works,” they are often evil 
looking and reclusive, keeping their eyes downcast and considerately neglecting to look one 
in the face, whilst in conversation they omit to make pious reference to the name of God. 
There is apparently no sign manual, as in the south of Europe, for protection against attack. 
One can, however, ward off the individual and his glance by pointing at him a piece of 
long white bone, covered at the pointing end with soot, which seems to bear a relation to 
tlie universal “ crescent moon ” or “ horn ” charms of other countries, and is designed 
to concentrate the attention of the evil eye. Children, who are most suscejjtible, wear 
round their necks — 
1. El Abu Abyad, or Ababyad (Plate XLll., fig. ll)--a charm consisting of two 
pieces of “ wad abiad ” ((17) suspended one above the other in a strijr of leather. 
2. El Goza (Plate XEII., fig. 12)—a pair of Heglig' nuts, similarly placed. 
3. El Hafiza (Plate XLII., fig. !)) -a large disc of silver aljout 2 in. in diameter, on 
which is inscribed “Protector! Protector! protect our little Ali ” (or whatever the child’s 
name may be), whilst both adults and children carry also specially prepared written 
charms, to which I shall refer later. Eor cure as well as prevention there are certain 
highly considered roots • — 
1. El Shari (?), which in cases of necessity must be chewed to a pulp in the mouth 
(preferably of a holy man), and applied to the interior of the nostrils of the sufferer, who 
sneezes violently many times and is then greatly relieved or even cured. 
The fruit of Balanites leyijptiaca, Del. 
