224 



SURGICAL PRACTICE. 



[chap. VII. 



The practice of surgery is rather rude among the 

 Ovampo. Timboo had run a thorn very deeply into 

 his hand ; it did not remain in, but the prick caused a 

 painful abscess, which pointed and partly broke. He 

 applied to the Ovampo doctor, whose measures were 

 simple : he squatted down, resting Timboo's hand upon 

 his knee, and then grasj^ed a tough stick with both 

 hands, with which he energetically kneaded down the 

 swelling. Timboo endured the operation without a 

 cry ; but a black can bear anything. 



There are no diseases in these parts except slight 

 fever, frequent ophthalmia, and stomach complaints. I 

 kept a bottle full of eye -water for the sufferers from 

 ophthalmia, and stuck a feather into the bottom of its 

 cork, with which I could paint the eyes of a whole row 

 of patients one after the other. 



rw'^ 



OVAMPO WEAPONS, UTENSILS, ETC. 



