BULLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. " [4] 



CLASSIFICATION OF REMEDIES. 



A — Magic medicine. — Exorcism, invocation, incantation, amulets, talismans, fetiches, 

 signatures. 



B — Psychic medicine. — Laying on of hands, royal touch, music, metallotherapy, 

 suggestion, hypnotism. Christian science, faith cure. 



C — Surgical medicine. — Baths, massage, exercise, electricity, acupuncture, cautery, 

 blood-letting, surgical operations and appliances. 



D — Pliurmacological medicine. — American Indian medicine, Egyptian medicine, 

 Greek medicine, Arabian medicine, oriental medicine, Hindu medicine, modern 

 medicine. 



E — Preventive rnedicine.^-WsiiQr, air, food, beverages and condiments, soils, habita- 

 tions, sewage, clothing, climate, disposal of the dead, disinfection. 



The class of remedial measures to which it is desired to call especial 

 attention by this circular is that of magic medicine, or " folk medicine." 

 Superstitions regarding disease and its remedies are everj^where 

 prevalent, not only among the uncivilized and the unlearned, but also, 

 to a greater or less degree, in the most cultivated communities. The 

 horse chestnut for the prevention of rheumatism is not found exclu- 

 sivelv in the pockets of the ignorant. 



Those who are brought into close relations with the peoples of our 

 island possessions have great opportunities for pursuing this line of 

 investigation, and their assistance is earnestlj^ sought. But there is 

 also a wide field for the study of the subject and the collection of 

 material in ever}^ town and hamlet in our countr}". 



Magic is defined as the " pretended art of producing supernatural 

 effects by bringing into play the action of supernatural or spiritual 

 beings, of departed spirits, or of the occult powers of nature." Its 

 application to the treatment of disease is magic medicine. The agents 

 inaj^ be gods or demons, disembodied spirits of men, animals, plants, 

 or minerals, or ma}^ be occult influences residing in, or exerted through, 

 certain natural objects. These agents or influences are often l)rought 

 into action hy invocations, incantations, or ceremonials of various 

 kinds. 



The divisions of magic medicines, according to the foregoing classi- 

 cation, are: 



1. .Exorcism. — Casting out evil spirits b}" religious or magic formulas 

 or ceremonies. 



2. Invocations. — Prayers for the assistance of disembodied spirits 

 of animals or men, or of mj^thological gods or heroes, or of the 

 Deity. 



3. Incantations. — Magical words said or sung. 



J{.. Aviulets. — Objects worn as a protection against disease. 



5. Talismans. — Objects supposed to work wonders, whether kept in 

 one's possession or not. 



6, Fetiches. — Material objects believed to be the dwelling of a spirit, 

 or to represent a spirit, that may be induced to help the possessor. 



