260 SOME TKIliAL CUSTOMS IN THEUi KKLATION TO MKDIflNK AND JIOKALS 



With the exception of certain roots employucl for pain and dysentery {n'lh; 

 Drags, 1, 3, 5, ?x','/f 261) little further treatment exists, nor are established purges or 

 emetics found among the people. 



Venereal disease 



Introduced by the "Turk" whose name in Arabic it bears, Ayat el Turkowi or 

 Ayat Tashwish. Though prevalent among the riverain people and at Government 

 posts, there is little elsewhere. The Dinkas are said to isolate cases of such disease as 

 the Abyssinians do leprosy. 



Headache 



Seems very prevalent especially amongst "carriers," from tlie constant pressure of 

 the loads on their heads. It is universally treated by the "Tying Cure" (vido 

 Fig. 69), the tie being passed round tlie brow or caught up strongly under the 

 eye-brows until local ojdema results. 



The Nyam-nyam also employ the "Whistling Cure" whilst the Gours "let blood" 

 from the site of pain. 



Siuist riike 



Though uncommon amongst these peojjle in their own country, the effects of the sun 

 are very much felt by them in the hot, arid, deserts farther north, for military service 

 in which they are by no means suited. Violent headache, fever, nose-bleeding and 

 sometimes coma are the usual symptoms. 



Mental diseane 



Mental disease is uncommon. Those afflicted, whilst being treated with some 

 consideration as "empty ones" within whom ancestral spirits have entered, are 

 not looked upon with as much indulgence and respect as are the demented in 

 Mohammedan countries. 



i^hin disease 



The Nyam-nyam and Gour being essentially cleanly-bodied people are little affected 

 by skin diseases. For its prevention and cure they carry the "disc of skin" charms 

 referred to and apply " red earth." The former people also wear the leg-bone of a 

 tortoise stained blue as a safe-guard {vide Drugs, 8, 9, 13, iia<jr 261). 



Leprosij 



Isolated cases I found among the Gours, though none farther South. The uncleanly, 

 foul-fish eating riverain people of the extreme Eastern Bahr-El-Ghazal are, however, 

 very prone to it as to various other skin lesions. 



Defuniiiti.es 



A supplementary fifth finger or first toe are surprisingly common amongst these 

 savages who are usually proud of the addition. The late Dr. Pirrie also draws attention 

 to this deformity {vide Third ./I'c^xo-^). As acquired deformities, umbilical hernia in 

 children, prepatellar bursiE among the women from the constant kneeling attendant on 

 corn grinding, and keloid scar deformities are most frequently met with. 



Elephantiasis. Kouk {Gour) 



Is prevalent in a mild form throughout the Gour country, no treatment very naturally 

 being attempted. 



