46 MALAY POISONS AND CHAEM CUBES 



A spell for neutralising the effects of poisoo was given 

 in confidence, by the late To* Bomor Enche' Abdullah, 

 formerly one of the chief " medicine- men " to the royal 

 household. Fresh coco -nut water is used as an antidote 

 along with it, but the coco-nut water has to be obtained 

 from nyiur jpuyok, a dwarf coco-nut pahn allied to the 

 golden nyiur gading, a tree " that may be planted only 

 in princes' gardens " : — 



OM / this is a powerful cliarm ! 



The charm of the hundred and ninety. 



Not my own spell, but that of all that is deadly ! 



Bom of the green and deadly berry ! 



Fain would I charm thee out of this body ! 



Obey not and I will curse thee with the cursings of Jesus, father 



of the charm. 

 In the name of Allah ! 



The coco-nut water is placed in a bowl ; juice from 

 the red sugar-cane is added, and then the htmor blows 

 three times into the bowl, muttering his spell at the 

 same time, and fuially administers his remedy. If the 

 jaws are clenched, the To' Bomor told me that the 

 mouth must, if necessary, be forced open with a stick. 

 Much the same kind of formula is sometimes used in 

 some parts of England, when a dock leaf is appUed to 

 reheve the sting of a nettle : — 



Out fire, in frost, 



I wish it in the name of the Holy Ghost. 



Similar spells are still woven within sound of the 

 rumble of London's motor onmibuses, A wi'iter to 

 TJie Times (1919) refers to the magic of a London 

 herbalist who blows with his breath three times after 

 chanting a rhyme. This " breathed spell " is very 

 similar to some of the jampi.jampi of the Malay " medi- 

 cine-man." As the winds have blown the disease to 



