roTH] SICKNESS AND HYGIENE 705 
Moruca Rivers, where they are made from the bladder of the turtle, 
jaguar, sloth, and larger mammals attached to a reed nozzle (fig. 
341). The Arawak speak of them as akkesoa-hu. There are thus 
apparently equally as good rea- 
sons to consider them of indigenous 
origin. 
922. The Indian [on the Esse- 
quibo], when attacked by fever, sets 
himself up to the neck in water, 
not inquiring into the cause which 
occasions it (BE, 230), until the 
paroxysm of fever is over or sud- 
den death prevents his coming out 
again (BE, 60). If the sick per- 
son is unable to walk the husband 
or wife will think it a kindness 
if either should pour a calabash- 
ful of water over the body of the 
sufferer (BE, 230). To administer 
a bath to the old man (in a case 
described by Dance) they first em- 
brocated his whole body with a 
mixture of turtle’s blood and cas- 
sava. Then the gory application 
was washed off and they poured 
upon him in succession, alternately, 
a calabash of warm water and one 
of cold water, continuing the proc- 
ess about half a dozen times. Then 
his feet were washed with warm 
water... and helped into his ham- 
mock near a good fire (Da, 246). 
[On the Orinoco] the Otomac 
poured cold water continuously over 
the sick, and with it they died more 
quickly. The Guayba and Chiricoa 
were immersed in coolish mud or in 
water, with only the head exposed, 
in order that the fever might leave 
Vig. 341.—Jaguar-bladder enema. Pom- them, and although they usually 
eroon River. 
found them dead when they came 
to take them out, they were not tutored by experience (G, 1, 208). 
On the authority of W. C. McClintock, medicated baths [decoctions 
of various barks] would seem to have been in general use among 
the various tribes (CC, 24). A steam or vapor bath is often re- 
