186 PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTIONS. 



This evidence, reinforcing evidence given in the preced 

 ing part, and reinforced by much more evidence given in 

 the first volume of this work, shows that union of the two 

 functions is a normal trait in early societies. 



665. The origin of this union lies in the fact before 

 named ( 132) that the primitive priest and the primitive 

 medicine-man both deal with supposed supernatural beings ; 

 and the confusion arises in part from the conceived charac 

 ters of these ghosts and gods, some of which are regarded 

 as always malicious, and others of which, though usually 

 friendly, are regarded as liable to be made angry and then 

 to inflict evils. 



The medicine-man, dealing with malicious spirits, to which 

 diseases among other evils are ascribed by savages, subjects 

 his patients partly to natural agencies, but chiefly to one or 

 other method of exorcism. Says Keating of the Chippewas, 

 &quot; their mode of treatment depends more upon the adoption 

 of proper spells than the prescription of suitable remedies. 

 Among the Nootka Sound people, 



&quot;Natural pains and maladies are invariably ascribed to the absence 

 or other irregular conduct of the soul, or to the influence of evil spirits, 

 and all treatment is directed to the recall of the former and to the 

 appeasing of the latter.&quot; 

 So, too, of the Okanagans we read: 



&quot; But here as elsewhere, the sickness becoming at all serious or mys 

 terious, medical treatment proper is altogether abandoned, and the 

 patient committed to the magic powers of the medicine-man. &quot; 



Sequent upon such beliefs in the supernatural origin of 

 diseases are various usages elsewhere. It is said of the 

 Karens that &quot; when a person is sick, these people [medi 

 cine-men] , for a fee, will tell what spirit has produced the 

 sickness, and the necessary offering to conciliate it.&quot; Among 

 the Araucanians, the medicine-man having brought on a 

 state of trance, real or pretended, during which he is sup 

 posed to have been in communication with spirits, declares 

 on his recovery 



