PRACTICE OP PHYSIC. 
37 
received the knowledge of the healing art, and 
to them a part of the physician's fee was con¬ 
sidered to belong. No animal or mineral sub¬ 
stances were admitted into their pharmacopoeia; 
vegetable productions alone were used, and these 
simply pulverized, infused, heated on the fire, or 
with red-hot stones, and often fermented. Many 
of their applications, however, were powerful, 
especially a species of gourd, or wild cucumber. 
A preparation, in which milk from the pulp of 
the cocoa-nut formed a principal ingredient, was 
sometimes followed by almost instant death. 
Mr. Barff once took this preparation, at the 
earnest recommendation of the people ; but it 
nearly cost him his life, although he had not drunk 
more than half the quantity prepared. 
Frequently, when some medicines were about to 
be administered, the friends and relatives of the 
patient were sent for, that they might be at hand, 
should the effect be unfavourable. They often 
expected it would either save or destroy the 
patient. Numerous ceremonies were connected 
with every remedy applied; and much greater 
dependence was placed on the efficacy of the 
prayers, than on the effect of the medicine. 
When a person was taken ill, the priest or phy¬ 
sician was sent for; as soon as he arrived, a young 
plantain-tree, procured by some members of the 
family, was handed to him, as an offering to the 
god ; a present of cloth was also furnished, as his 
own fee. He began by calling upon the name of 
his god, beseeching him to abate his anger towards 
the sufferer, to say what would propitiate him, or 
what applications would afford relief. Some¬ 
times remedies were applied at the same time, 
or the relatives sent to fetch certain herbs or roots. 
