132 



INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY— PUBLICATION NO. 3 



Americans. Both phrases may cover, in their re- 

 spective cultural contexts, a variety of psychopathic 

 and physically pathological conditions, considered 

 from the strictly diagnostic point of view. Both, 

 however, are culturally defined escapes for the 

 individual from the pressures and tensions of life. 

 When a North American "can't take it any longer," 

 he has a "nervous break-down;" when a Peruvian 

 cholo "can't take it," he gets siisfo. Actually, de- 

 pending upon the configuration of the case, one 

 patient may have hysteria, another a depression, a 

 third possibly an anxiety attack. Siisto also he- 

 comes a mechanism for calling the group's attention 

 to the individual by his assumption of a culturally 

 patterned configuration of "symptoms." At all events 

 it seems to represent at least a temporary collapse 

 of the psychic organization of the individual and 

 consequently of his ability to deal normally with his 

 life problems. 



The treatment of nearby sitsto by the curing 

 woman already mentioned proceeds as follows. 

 Three treatments are required, on Tuesday, Friday, 

 and Tuesday. The materials used are as follows : 

 (1) The seven herbs of sttsto — verba de galUnazo 

 negra. de gallinaco blaiica, Santa Maria, ajcnjo, 

 chocha, ruda. and campana; (2) the four waters of 

 susto — agua de la reiiia de Hungria, a-gna de azahar, 

 alcohol de mclisa, agua de Biida (some curers use 

 five "waters," and among them, other types of waters, 

 as indicated in the list of remedies) ; (3) San Merio, 

 an incense powder. The steps in each session of 

 the cure are the following. (1) The curer or the 

 patient, if the latter is able, strips the herbs of their 

 leaves and mixes the leaves together in a pile on 

 the ground. (2) When the "pajas" have all been 

 stripped, the pile of leaves is kneaded in the hands. 

 (3) A double escapulario is made with needle and 

 thread from unbleached cotton cloth; it consists of 

 two square bags or sacks each about 2 inches square 

 with two cloth connecting strips each about IS 

 inches long. These are called almoJiaditas (little 

 pillows). The two small sacks are stuffed with 

 the mixed leaves of the herbs, then sewn shut. Then 

 the sacks are well moistened with the mixed agnas 

 de susto. The patient puts his head through the 

 two connecting strips so that one sack of leaves hangs 

 over the chest, the other on the back between the 

 upper corners of the shoulder blades. The waters 

 of susto have been previously mixed together and 

 are kept in an ordinary pop bottle. (4) An earthen 

 pot of about 2-quart capacity is heated over the fire 



and the remainder of the kneaded and mixed herb 

 leaves are placed in it and well sprinkled with the 

 mixed waters of susto, and kept on the fire long 

 enough so that the whole mass becomes lukewarm. 

 (5) A retiring room is made by placing an est era on 

 the ground or floor and leaning estcras against the 

 wall, so that privacy and freedom from drafts are 

 provided. (6) The patient goes into the retiring 

 room and removes his clothing and the curandera 

 follows with the pot of lukewarm herbs and a fry- 

 ing pan or plate of hot coals from the kitchen fire. 

 The curandera takes a handful of the moist herbs 

 and begins the massage (frolacion). In the first of 

 the series of three treatments she begins with the 

 feet, in the second with the back of the head, and 

 in the third with the feet again. In any case, with 

 her hand full of herbs, she makes the sign of the 

 cross, muttering an invocation, "En cl noinbre de 

 Dios, de la Virgcn Santisima y del Rcy del Cielo." 

 If she is beginning with the head, she squeezes some 

 juice into the right ear, then into the left ear, then 

 rubs the back of the head, the scalp, and the face 

 with the wad of moist herbs. Then she works down 

 over the whole body. If she begins with the feet, 

 the massage proceeds in the opposite direction, cover- 

 ing all parts of the body. (7) San Merio is sprinkled 

 on the hot coals of the plate or frying pan, producing 

 a sweet-smelling smoke. The patient drapes himself 

 in a sheet and stands up with feet spread apart over 

 the coals, allowing his whole body to be smoked. 

 (8) The patient lies down inside the retiring room, 

 wrapped in a sheet and blanket. Shortly he begins 

 to sweat and goes to sleep. (9) The curandera 

 takes in her hand one of the garments removed by 

 the patient. This is used to call the patient's spirit. 

 Waving the garment through the smoke, the curan- 

 dera makes the sign of the cross in the air, then calls 

 out in an animated voice, "J'dmonos, Juancito [or 

 whatever the patient's name may be] ; vdmonos. No 

 te dejas. Vdmonos con nosotros; no quedas solito; 

 vcn. vdmonos." This calling is repeated three times, 

 after which the article of clothing used is placed under 

 the patient's neck. (10) The curandera closes up 

 the retiring room tightly so that drafts cannot enter, 

 leaving the patient inside. (11) She then takes the 

 remains of the herbs and the incense to an isolated 

 spot. First she buries the herbs in a hole, then 

 spreads the ashes of the incense and coals over it 

 and makes the sign of the cross ; then she scatters 

 rubbish over the spot, so that it will be unnoticeable. 

 If anyone digs up the herbs, harm will befall the 



