222 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY^ [bull. 34 



ing the powers that caused the disease. Thus arose the class of indi- 

 viduals, mainly elders, popularly called "medicine-men" and "med- 

 icine-women," supposed to possess the extraordinary and mysterious 

 powers described, as well as special htness for serving in other con- 

 tingencies as priests or priestesses. These individuals are believed to 

 have come into possession of their sacred healing powers prenatally, 

 or to have received them in dreams or in connection with some 

 notable event in their lives. By means of these special gifts, and 

 with the aid of fetishes and other expedients, they are suppose<l to 

 recognize the mystic or volitional inciting cause, particularly the 

 active or instrumental evil agent of the disease, to choose the most 

 effectual invocations, incantations, "medicines," and physical means 

 necessary to prevent further action of this cause, and to remove or 

 neutralize the objective agent to whose presence the suffering is due. 

 Generally the medicine-man is supposed to have received, also from 

 supernatural sources, a particular song or songs, fetishes, and other 

 expedients or aids, which constitute the essential means of his prac- 

 tice. These resources vary in character with practitioners, though 

 apparently not much with the same individual. The priest-healer 

 may "be given" other songs or discover other fetishes in time, or 

 he may acquire them by purchase or gift from other medicine-men. 



Particular songs and other expedients are employed for partic- 

 ular diseases or classes of disease, real or imaginary. Many of the 

 practitioners, not having a large supply of songs, fetishes, and other 

 requisites, are specialists only, assuming to cure but a limited num- 

 ber of affections. In some tribes nearly all the medicine-men are 

 thus limited in their practice, while others treat all classes of dis- 

 orders. Among the Pueblos, in addition to the professional med- 

 icine-men there are many who are supposed to aid in curing special 

 diseases by virtue of their membership in certain societies. Some 

 of the medicine-men have acquaintance with the use of the knife, 

 splints, massage, and other physical means, as well as with medicinal 

 remedies; but usually these are employed in association with songs, 

 invocations, passes with saliva, and practices of more mystic nature. 

 Their whole treatment, especially when practised with sincerity, is 

 strongly suggestive and impressive, and must exercise a deep influence 

 on the mind of the patient. Among some tribes there are grades of 

 medicine-men, and among the Pueblos are found societies of healers, 

 though not all of the members actually practise. The organization 

 of these societies is very complex, and their study belongs purely 

 to the domain of ethnology. 



The medicine-man is generally called for the treatment of those 

 only who are seriously ill, and often he has one or even two or 

 more assistants. He may have to be paid in advance, and not sel- 

 dom exacts a large compensation. His first aim is to find a cause 



