STEVENSON] SOCIAL CUSTOMS 303 



beside the patient and deposited fetishes and niedieine bags in a basket tray; 

 after his j) ravers over the fetishes and the medicines he took a j)ineh of a i)0\vder 

 and, as he prayed, ran his fingers that lield the powiler down the inner side of the 

 arm, seeming to nnderstand that tiie l)lood and lymj)h eircniation is more abundant 

 on the inner side of the arm and tlierefore more easily affected, lie afterward held 

 a pinch of the powder to each shoulder and to the top of the head, and then sprinkled 

 what he held sparingly upon the parts affected." On the 25th the pulse was 98, and 

 the parts appeared to be slightly improved. Applications of the carbolic acid were 

 made morning and night and the powder was afterward si)rinkled on. AJthough 

 the patient was very ill, it was with difficulty that she was induced to remain in betl. 

 On the 26th the ptilse of the patient was 102. The affected parts were slightly 

 imi)roved. The treatment of Nai^uchi and the writer was continued. The patient 

 was anxious to get up, though still very ill. On the 27th the pulse was 98. The 

 parts continued to improve, though the right side was still considerably swollen and 

 discolored. The improvement of the patient seemed remarkable. The same treat- 

 ment was continued. On the 28th the pulse was 113, but nearly all the swelling of 

 the labia majora had disappeared. The patient sat up and claimed to feel ([uite 

 well. The same treatment was continued, and on the 29th the pulse was 98. The 

 parts were almost normal in size, and there was no appearance of sloughing. The 

 treatment was continued, and on the 30th the pulse was 90 and the parts had become 

 normal in size. On the olst the pulse was 78, and the parts api)eared perfectly healthy. 

 The patient was up and at work, sweeping the floor with a native broom which com- 

 pelled her to bend almost double. At this time treatment ceased, and a few days 

 later the patient was going about everywhere. !^he went with bare feet and legs, 

 giving no thought to protecting herself from the rain or the cold. She jierforme*! 

 all her duties and declared that she was perfectly well and strong. The only evi- 

 dence of delicate health was extreme pallor which continued until the writer left 

 Zuni in January. 



PUBERTY CUSTOMS 



With the Zunis marriage usually occurs at very tender years. <rirls 

 frequently marrying two years before reaching puberty. Should one 

 not be married at the time she arrives at womanhood, her mother goes 

 to the house of the paternal grandmother or, if the grandmother !.>; 

 not living, the paternal aunt, and informs her of the event. 11 ic 

 grandmother returns with the mother, and the girl accompanies liei- 

 grandmother to her dwelling, where she lal)()rs hard all day grinding 

 corn. When the girl returns to her home in the evening, she carries 

 a bowl of meat stew prepared and presented by the paternal grand- 

 mother, who returns with her to her hous(>. The beli(>f is that if a 

 girl works hard at the dawn of her womanhood she will not .sutler jxiin 

 at this period; but shotdd she be idle on the tirst day. she will always 

 suffer from dysmenorrhea. This is the only occasion when a woman 

 makes a point of exerting herself during menstruation. As a rule, 

 the women walk but little at this time. They are not expectetl to 

 bring water from the well. This, however, is not due to any particu- 

 lar weakness at this period, though the women do sutler to some 

 extent. They employ themselves with indoor work, usually weaving 



« Dr Washington Matthews suggests that this powder is probably a mixture of pifion gum an.l rr.l 

 willow. It was certainly a most effective antiseptic. 



