THE WOBK OF THE BOMOR 37 



and then attacked the guardians who had carelessly 

 fallen asleep (Kef. 12), Furthennore, Skeat affirms 

 that Malays considered that malaria (demam kurUt 

 ** spleen fever ") was caused by mosquitoes. This is of 

 great interest, since we now know definitely, tiirough the 

 work inaugurated by Sir Patrick Manson, that malaria is 

 spread by certain of these insects. It is too much to 

 say that the work of the homm in clinical medicine is 

 merely fanciful ; be endeavours to prepare a pSiiawar, 

 that is to say a " neutraliser,*' for every kind of 

 poisonous principle ; this idea of neutralisation dis- 

 tinctly anticipates modem science. His knowledge of 

 local materia medica is often profoimd, and, after all, 

 some of his theories as to the etiology of tropical 

 diseases are conceptions now known to modem science 

 in the form of animal parasites (protozoa, spirochsetes, 

 etc.), which are invisible except under the high powers 

 of the microscope. Then, again, the spirit-raising 

 homorf when engaged in casting out devils, does his best 

 to restore the sick man to health ; in fact, he gives 

 himself entirely up in striving to ** reach the mystic 

 source of things, the secrets of the earth and sea and 

 air." Those who would dismiss his spirituahsm as 

 worthless imposture and his behef in possession by 

 spirits as fantastic credulity should remember that the 

 village bomor pins his faith on the aninaistic behef of his 

 forefathers where fear and curiosity predominated. 

 It would be unfair to damn him as "an accursed 

 sorcerer who poisons honest folk to gain his private 

 ends,'* and more generous to regard him as one of the 

 ** dealers in destiny's dark council." 



References. 



(1) Brewer, E. C. (1898.) " Dictionary of Phrase and Fable." 



London. 



(2) Browne, E, G. {1921.) " ^irabian Medicine." Cambridge. 



