URDi.KKA] PHYSIOL(inTrAL AND MEDICAL OBSERVATIONS 1()5 



Among the Mexican Indians the writer heard more alxnit ''mecU- 

 cines" and less about violence as a means of inducing abortion; 

 but among most of the Mexican tribes observed, on account of their 

 contact with whites and th(>ir adoption of Christianity, investigation 

 of subjects of this nature is usually unsatisfactory^ 



Among the Opata, according to Doctor Alderman, abortion is some- 

 times attempted, principally from two causes — first, the rapidly in- 

 creasing family without corresponding means of support, and second, 

 the shame that comes to the unmarried women from having cliildren. 

 The old women give various roots and herbs which they claim are 

 infallible. One is a tea made of rosemary and the ''ocean arte- 

 misia." They administer these, then place the woman on her back 

 and knead her abdomen until pains are brought on. Then they place 

 her on her knees, take a position before her, and holding her by the 

 hips, shake her back and forth with all their force, as in normal 

 labor. If this is not successful the first time the whole process is 

 repeated. 



Artificial Sterility 



There is a very general belief among the Indians visited that sterility 

 may be artificially induced. To produce this result the women desir- 

 ing to have no more children take internally certain harmless substances 

 (see chapter dealing with medicine), which to the Indian are repre- 

 sentative of sterility. The San Carlos Apache l)elieve that artificial 

 sterility can be induced, but the means is not generally known. It is 

 supposed to be some variety of root. One of the women applied to 

 the writer for a "medicine to make her have no more children." 

 When questioned as to the propriety of such a proceeding, the answer 

 was that when one child after another is born and dies, or wdien a num- 

 ber of children, one after another, are born dead, something should 

 be done to end this unfortunate state of affairs. 



Among the White Mountain Apache a woman desiring to have no 

 children, or to stop bearing, swallows now and then a little of the red 

 burned earth from beneath the fire. This means, which is much 

 believed in, is used mostly by the dissolute unmarried, but also by 

 sickly or very poor married women. Some of the Huichol women 

 drink a decoction of a certain ])lant to prevent childbearing. Cora 

 women, for the same purpose, take internally the scrapings of the 

 male deer horn. 



Infanticide 



Among the Apache, Pima, Mohave, Navaho, Zuni, and Tepecano, 

 information was obtained from some of the Indians themselves that 

 no deformed or monstrous child (though such are very rare) is allowed 

 to live, and similar statements concerning other tribes w^ere received. 

 It is said that a deformed child is smothered, or carried awav and 



