Devereux] MOHAVE ETHNOPSYCHIATRY AND SUiaDE 255 



tion" ( = witch) is only rarely evolved in childhood.^* (See also pt. 4, 

 p. 134 fn., and pt. 7, pp. 356-371) . 



The above data — combined perhaps with Mohave beliefs concerning 

 the deleterious effects of hyperactivity (pt. 2, pp. 46-56) — represent 

 the sum total of what is known concerning Mohave conceptions of the 

 psychopathological aspects of aging. 



SYPHILIS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 



Parenchymatous neurosyphilis as well as tabes dorsalis is extremely 

 rare among the Mohave — perhaps because they usually have extremely 

 marked primary and secondary lesions. The Mohave themselves are 

 not aware that syphilis can produce neurological lesions, or psychiatric 

 symptoms, and did not recognize descriptions of paretic megalomania 

 and euphoria, syphilitic paralysis or tabes dorsalis. Although they 

 mentioned that certain persons suffering from various forms of mental 

 derangement had had venereal disease (hiku*. pk), they did not estab- 

 lish a nexus between syphilis and subsequent psychiatric symptoms. 



The only possible hint that "venereal diseases" — wliich, in this con- 

 text, are defined in the Mohave sense, and include all forms of hiwey 

 lak as well as hiku*. pk and alyha: — may produce mental disorders 

 was contained in the following statement : 



People will say that one's blood isn't good and causes stomach trouble. One 

 feels a hard lump in one's side or under the ribs. One loses one's appetite and 

 with every new bad dream one's health declines further. One's bowels and 

 urine are also affected and one may not even be able to vomit anymore. The 

 lump will go up to the mouth, but will not be vomited out. One might also go 

 crazy. 



Various details of the preceding statement indicate that the descrip- 

 tion refers to an ailment of the liiwey lak group, which some Mohave 

 consider to be venereal diseases (pt. 4, pp. 150-175). Hence, while a 

 Mohave may state that a "venereal disease," in the Mohave sense of 

 that term, may cause "insanity," this remark must not bo interpreted 

 to mean that the Mohave are cognizant of the psychiatric sequelae of 

 syphilis. 



The one mention of paresis by a Mohave occurred in a letter written 

 to me by a higlily educated member of that tribe, who was fully aware 

 of the causes of paresis. 



CASE 75 (Information from a personal letter written by Hama: Utce:) : 



(Kumadhi: Atat, the middle-aged woman referred to in this letter, was said 

 to have been a witch, greatly dreaded by many Mohave Indians ; see also Case 

 49). 



®* If this assumption Is correct, the presence of the concept of senile deterioration among 

 the Sedang Mol may be due to the exploitation, and occasional ill treatment, of children, 

 and to the, at least partial, inhibition of their urge for sexual experimentation after the 

 age of 7 to 10 or thereabouts. 



