192 SMITHSONIAN MISCELIvAXEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 52 



in age from ten years to fifty years. A man's wives are obtained 

 from among the women of his own tribe, or by barter or theft from 

 neighboring tribes. Thus a number of wives, one the favorite for 

 a longer or shorter period, will live together in one household with 

 very little jealousy or quarreling. They are submissive, attend to 

 all the duties of the household, also work in the small fields of yucca, 

 corn, etc., and usually accompany the men on their journeys into the 

 forests. 



Diseases 



In addition to the violent deaths from the many tribal wars and 

 attacks by the whites, certain diseases are proving an alarmingly 

 great factor in reducing the population of the Indians of Peru. 

 Probably chief among these is the viruela, or smallpox, unknown 

 among them till after the coming of the whites, and entire tribes 

 have been known to perish from epidemics of this disease, to which 

 they seem peculiarly susceptible. In the mountainous parts of the 

 country some die of pneumonia, and there is always a considerable 

 number of deaths from malaria and other tropical fevers. Beri-beri, 

 or elephantiasis, a swelling of the legs, is also quite common in cer- 

 tain districts, and among the Aguarunas epilepsy has been known to 

 exist at times. 



Medicines 



Contrary to the popular belief that Indians in general have a won- 

 derful knowledge of the value of herbs, plants, roots, etc., for medic- 

 inal purposes, very little is known or pretended to be known among 

 the Indians of Peru. For fevers of all kinds they commonly use a 

 species of tea made from Peruvian bark, and a mixture of quinine 

 and the leaves of a certain shrub made into a poultice is placed upon 

 wounds. In case of snake bite the blood is immediately sucked from 

 the wound or the wound seared with a burning stick. Those who 

 use firearms place powder on the wound caused by the bite, which 

 is then set afire in the attempt to burn out the poison. When one is 

 attacked by some unknown form of disease he is supposed to have 

 been taken possession of by an evil spirit, and for his relief the 

 Aguarunas, for example, use oaths and prayers by which they hope, 

 through threats or entreaties, to free the victim from the malady. 



Cannibalism 



Cannil)alism is jiractised by members of certain tribes of the Putu- 

 mayo River district, who not only enjoy the flavor of human flesh 

 well prepared, but also believe that they partake of the strength, 

 both physical and intellectual, of their victims. Prisoners of war 



