SOME TRIBAL CUSTOMS IN THEIR RELATION TO MEDICINE AND MORALS 259 



Smoking the body as described by Livingstone, wlio, " after being stewed in tlieir 

 vapour bath and smoked like a red herring over green leaves," felt little the better, is 

 also resorted to. Fumigation, however, does not hold the important place it has in 

 Arab treatment. 



Chest complaints 



For these, being internal lesions with no external manifestations, scarring and 

 cupping (probably an Arab introduction) are employed, also the "Tying Cure," as already 

 described [vide Fig. 68) [vide Drugs 2 and 12, page 261). 



The Nyam-nyam are particularly liable to chest diseases, acute pneumonia, bronchitis Liability of the 

 and pleurisy, from which the mortality is very high. More especially is this the case Nyam-nyam 



to cliest 



among prisoners confined to cells and men enlisted into regiments serving away from compiamts 

 the Bahr-El-Ghazal ; so much so that I feel sure the entire question of savage recruiting 

 in the Sudan will require careful consideration. It will, I imagine, resolve itself 

 eventually into one not only of territorial enlistment but of territorial service. 



Ei/e diseases 



Are very uncommon, though minor accidents are frequent, for which spitting in the 

 eye of the sufferer and the external application of wood-ash or red-clay are the usual 

 treatments. Strengthening of the eyes with "Gun Medicine" has been referred to. 



The inability to open or close one eye without the other is very frequently met with 

 amongst these people, and interferes greatly with recruiting and the training of recruits. 



Ghiyger. Titk Tiik (Zaiideli tongue) 



This was apparently non-existent in the Bahr-El-Ghazal liefore the arrival of the 

 Belgian outposts at Meridi, and elsewhere. Their Congolese troops, termed Tuk Tuk, 

 from which the name of the disease is derived, suffered severely from it. 



Chigger is now to be found in many of the Government stations of the S.E. Bahr- 

 El-Ghazal and is spreading, I believe, along the main roads of the Province. It is to 

 be hoped that Relapsing Fever has not been, or will not be, similarly introduced. 



The native treatment is to rupture or extract the parasite and then apply wood-ash. 



Guinea Worm 



This disease was, I believe, widespread among the natives of the Bahr-El-(4hazal 

 when first occupied by the present Government (Major S. Lyle Cummins, R.A.M.C.) ; so 

 far, however, the Nyam-nyam and Gour seem to have escaped, as also, I believe, have 

 the Shilluks (American Mission). I saw three cases in the Dinka country, but 

 none further south. 



Snake-bites and scorpion stinys 



Considering the prevalence of poisonous snakes in the Bahr-El-Ghazal it is remarkable 

 how few cases of bite one encounters. Though preventive snake charms are carried, 

 little actual treatment with the exception of scarring and sucking is adopted in such 

 cases. 



Stomach complaints 



The savage, having what the Americans aptly term a " cast-iron digestion,'" and 

 enjoying an extraordinary immunity towards foul water and filthy food, is seldom troubled 

 in this matter. The effects of over-eating are, however, not uncommon when meat is 

 plentiful. 



