LIV ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT [eth. ann. 20 



wliicli exist as diviue personages, partaking in the affairs of 

 mankind. While the hosts of savage mj^thology still exist in 

 the popular mind, the leaders lay more stress on the doings 

 of these nature gods. The nature gods are supposed not to be 

 pure spirits, but have a celestial home where they habitually 

 dwell and where they are organized into a tribe of their own. 

 Now, the same characteristics of imputation are found, the 

 same ghost theory prevails; but in addition there a])pear a 

 host of nature ghosts which also take part in the affairs of 

 mankind by assuming the shapes of men and representing them 

 on earth. These new deities pla}' a special role in producing 

 diseases among mankind, and their assistance is invoked to 

 prevent and cure disease. 



In a higher stage of culture, when tribes are organized as 

 feudal dependencies about city govermnents which are ruled 

 by tyrants — which I have called the monarchical stage of 

 society — there occurs a marked development of the agency of 

 the stars in the affairs of mankind, especially in determining 

 good and evil, and still more especially in determining the state 

 of health and the condition of disease observed on earth. 

 Thus astrology is held to be the ranking science of the world. 

 In this stage diseases are imputed to the stars and to their 

 position, especial!}' at nativity and in other important epochs in 

 the lives of individuals. 



Perhaps we have already said enough about the theory of 

 diseases antecedent to scientific medicine. We now must 

 consider briefly the theory of remedies which prevails in the 

 savage, barbaric, and monarchical stages of culture. 



In savagery, men find their remedies as they are revealed to 

 them in dreams, ecstasy, hypnotism, intoxication, and even in 

 insanity. In every savage tribe there are particular ceremo- 

 nies and other means instituted by shamans for the purpose of 

 invoking these aids to diagnosis, and especially of appealing 

 to them for the discovery of remedies. The ceremonies which 

 the medicine-men perform by themselves for the discovery of 

 remedies can usually be distinguished from those which they 

 perform over their patients to secure the proper action of their 



