270 The Philippine Journal of Science i9n 



should give the tabib some object, such as money, clothing, 

 turban, etc., of the color of the cutica. Some panditas and 

 tabibs advise also to have the cloth covering the patient, as well 

 as the one covering the medicine and the food, the color cor- 

 responding to the cutica in which his disease began. 



If on opening the Koran the resulting prognosis of the disease 

 is bad, the patient is moved to another house or place and the 

 Koran is opened anew. The opening of the Koran and the 

 transfer of the patient to another place or house in case of a 

 bad omen is repeated three times or as many times as advised 

 by the pandita. 



The following practices are performed according to the advice 

 of the panditas or according to what custom or promise was 

 broken by the patient: (1) Pedcanduli, several panditas are 

 invited, who pray to Alathala (God) for the healing of the 

 patient, and the family in turn offer food and sa/rcd (alms) to 

 the panditas. (2) Pagubad, a form of alligator is made of rice, 

 with eyes made of eggs; it is eaten by the panditas and by the 

 people. This is nearly a constant practice after childbirth. 

 (3) Paguipat, in which culintangan (music by culintangs and 

 agongs) is made and food offered by hanging parcels of food 

 wrapped in banana leaves on a branch of a tree or a pole planted 

 near the house. Sometimes a small vinta is made, which is 

 decorated with flags and with canons made of cooked rice and 

 is provided with food and set adrift on the river. (4) Pedsakay, 

 which is the same as paguipat, except that a warrior armed 

 with kris and shield dances three times around the pole or branch 

 of tree where the food is hung; then he cuts the tree or pole, 

 and the food is picked up and eaten. (5) Paigu sa ragat, which 

 means bathing in the sea of the people around the patient. If 

 the people are far inland where they cannot get any sea water, 

 they use fresh water to which a little salt has been added. The 

 water is placed on a vinta, over which is made a platform where 

 food is placed. The water is sprinkled and squirted on every- 

 body by hand or by a wooden syringe, after which a bath is 

 taken. The patient, however, need not be bathed with salt 

 water, but may be sponged with coconut water to which some 

 leaves of kilala and salimbangan have been added. (6) Pandu- 

 dang, which is done in cases where sickness is supposed to be 

 due to not fulfilling a promise. A chicken, when cleaned of 

 feathers and viscera, but retaining the head and feet, is boiled 

 in water and placed in a tray, around which gather the patient 

 and his friends, who stick the chicken with knives or bamboo 

 points, repeating words to the effect that the promise is being 



