264 THE PIMA INDIANS [eth. axn. 26 



child is born. The remedy is to sing the buzzard song and pass the 

 wing feathers of the buzzard over the child. 



A Gila monster if killed by the father just before the birth of 

 a child causes the baby's body to become red and feverish. The 

 remedy is to sing the Gila monster song (p. 307). Such a disease 

 must be of rare occurrence and no other treatment is prescribed. 



The horned toad causes rheumatism and hunchback. The remedy 

 is to sing the horned toad song (p. 307), and press an image of the 

 creature upon the patient (fig. 2.5, a). If one accidentally steps on 

 a horned toad he must tie a red string around its neck and let it go, 

 saying, " nyu u-ut hok," my blood eat. This is to cause the subtle 

 toad to eat the bad blood that may cause disease in the person. 



The large lizard, tcosokalt, is responsible for a fever in children, the 

 most prominent symptom of which is the whitening of the skin. If 

 any one who knows the lizard song (p. 308) is available he comes and 

 presses an image of a lizard (fig. 25, b) on the child as he sings; if not, 

 a lizard is killed and fat from its body is rubbed upon the cliild. 



The rattlesnake causes kidney and stomach troubles in children. 

 These are cured by singing the rattlesnake song (p. 309) and pressing 

 the parts affected with an image in wood or stone of the rattlesnake. 



The ])ite of the rattlesnake is cured by sucking the wound every 

 morning lor four tlays. Others suck it one or two days, and also 

 ligature the limb with horsehair, or draw a circle around it with char- 

 coal to define the limit of the swelling. The Papagos and Mexicans 

 use the plant Euphorbia marginata to poultice snake bites, and it is 

 possible that some Pimas use it also, though the writer was unable to 

 find anyone who knew of its being so used. 



While the rattlesnake is dreaded and imder circumstances previ- 

 ously mentioned is regarded as possessing magic power, he occupies a 

 far less important place in Pima thought than in that of the Ilopis. 

 It is said to be unlucky to come upon two rattlesnakes, one soon 

 after the other, when engaged in searching for anything. If a child 

 puts its foot through an olla head ring that is commonly left l.ving 

 about the premises, the mother warns him that the rattlesnake will 

 bite him. The same fate is threatened if he puts liis foot into the 

 mortar in which the mesquite beans and other articles of food are 

 ground. The rattlesnake is accredited with wisdom that directs it to 

 the place where the best mesquite beans are to be had, though why 

 such a locality has anj' attractions for it was not explained. 



The turtle cau.ses large sores on the body or cripples the legs. 

 The treatment is to sing the turtle song (p. 306) and shake a rattle 

 over the patient. The rattle is made by killing a river turtle and 

 placing the boiiy in an ant-liill until the ants have thoroughly cleaned 

 out the shell, which is then mounted on a handle, and some gravel 

 put into it. 



