The Pima Indians/Sophiology/Cause and treatment of disease
SOPHIOLOGY
Cause and Treatment of Disease
The Siʼatcokam carries his tcaekut or staff in hand when called to treat the sick. He begins by singing the "cure songs" or causing them to be sung for the purpose of aiding him in correctly diagnosing the case. Then he puffs out cigarette smoke over the body of the patient in order that he may "see" the disease. Most common ailments are attributed to certain definite causes and the diagnosis is easy. When he is well paid for his services he may sing more than one night before announcing the name of the disease. If he is too hasty he may "see" the bear when it is really the deer that is causing trouble. However, he can not sing more than four nights; then, if he fails, he must call in a fellow-practitioner. The case of Sala Hina is an interesting and instructive one and will illustrate very adequately these peculiar methods. Several years ago Sala carelessly ate some weed which poisoned her and she had barely strength enough to reach home. As close relatives are not allowed to treat a patient, a neighboring medicine-man was called in. Her husband rolled a cigarette for the learned doctor, who smoked it, but however skillfully he spread the smoke cloud over the groaning patient he could not "see" the cause of the trouble. Then another Siʼatcokam was called in and a cigarette was rolled for him and he peered through the veil sufficiently to see "something." But he could not tell just what it was and advised sending for another medicine-man who was a specialist in intangible shapes. Sala was suffering the greatest agony in the meantime. If she moved she "felt full of pins inside." Those about her expected her to die at any moment. Number three at length arrived and smoked his cigarette, blowing the smoke across the patient from a distance to dispel the unusually heavy darkness. He said he must have his gourd rattle and magic feathers brought before he could see clearly. Meanwhile the husband had brought in a fourth medicine-man. Number four then smoked a cigarette and pronounced the verdict of death. Poor Sala had been compelled to lie quiet to avoid the torture from the "pins" but her mind was active and she understood every word that was said in her presence. Determined to do what they could, the last two arrivals set to work singing. Number three sang four songs, followed by four more songs from number four. Then number three sang four more, and so they alternated all night. Toward morning they put ashes into a cup of water, sweeping eagle feathers across the dish meanwhile. They then announced that they would get the evil out soon. Number four sprayed water from his mouth over the patient and declared that he had found her to be suffering from the presence of the horn of a horned toad in her heart. Falling on his knees beside her he sucked with all his might until he had removed the offending object. As it flew into his mouth it gagged him and he hastened to withdraw it. Calling for a piece of cotton he put the hot and burning horn into it and told the brother of the patient to throw it into the river. Then the two Siʼatcokam sang twice and later in the day sang twice through their set of four songs for the horned toad. This faithful treatment brought about a recovery.
Sala's brother fell ill of some throat disease over which the doctors sang, sucked, and smoked for a month before he died.
It will be seen from the cases described that the songs play an important part in the treatment, and they are sung with endless repetitions. After the cause of the affliction has been decided upon the songs of that animal or object are sung. An image or a part of the animal or object is pressed upon or waved over the part affected and then the farce of sucking out the evil is gone through. Juan Thomas informed the writer that he had frequently concealed under his thumb nail the objects which he pretended to suck from his patients.
Sometimes ashes are rubbed upon the skin of the sick person. No matter what the disease may be, the ashes are administered with light rubbing. No explanation could be given for this treatment. For any disease, also, pledgets of cotton might be burned on the skin, and as these were half an inch in diameter and two or three might be burned in one place, the effect must have been very painful.
The female Siʼatcokam never treated children; they confined their labors to the treatment of abdominal troubles not necessarily peculiar to sex. They treated men for abdominal difficulties and men treated women for all diseases.
Payment is promised to the Siʼatcokam when they are called in. It may be a horse, cow, some wheat, a basket, or similar property. If he contracts to sing three nights and to receive a horse in payment, he will not receive the horse if the patient dies after he has sung two nights, but will receive some compensation. The death of the patient does not annul the obligation under any circumstances.
In addition to the animals, birds, and reptiles that cause disease, the variety of human ailments and the fertility of the native's imagination necessitated the invention of yet other causes. These were sometimes superhuman, but only too often the tribe merely descended to the level of the African savage, and accused some medicine-man of the crime of causing disease. There would seem to be some reason in this if the medicine-man who had the case in hand were the one accused, but that was not the custom; it was a rival practitioner who bore the onus and frequently paid the penalty with his life, as may be seen from the accompanying annals. It would seem that every epidemic of any extent that ever afflicted the Pimas caused an almost wholesale destruction of medicine-men. In individual cases of malice on the part of the medicine-man the treatment is to sing the medicine song and afterwards to place four magic stones in a cup of water, taking out one at a time and holding it under the nose of the patient, that he may inhale its power; then he must drink the water.
If a person believes that a medicine-man has brought sickness upon his household he calls in another doctor to find the charm. The one consulted takes four assistants and searches day and night until some object is found which they can safely assume was hidden in the vicinity by the malicious medicine-man. When found the object must not be touched, for fear of death, but the mere discovery renders it harmless to the person against whom it was aimed.
Sometimes the medicine-man causes sickness by "shooting" charcoal, made from the burned body of an enemy, into some one who does not notice it at the time, but whose body burns in consequence. If it is sucked out before it is entirely consumed the charcoal loses its power and the patient recovers.
The badger causes a severe throat disease, which, however, is considered to be of rare occurrence. The remedy is to sing the badger song (p. 321) and to press the tail of the badger on the patient's neck.
The bear causes swellings upon the body, headache, and fever. The remedy is to sing the bear songs, of which there are several (p. 318); the singing is sometimes continued throughout the entire day. No part of the animal is used in the treatment. The bear is friendly to the Pimas, Ifa man meets one he must say, "I'm red," and then the bear will not touch him, though he is free to kill the animal.
The black-tailed deer causes diseases of the throat and lungs. The remedy is to sing the deer song (p. 317) and to press the tail of the deer on the affected part.The coyote causes sickness in children; some believing that he brings on the dysentery when the mother eats melons before the birth of the child, others thinking that he causes rash and blisters on the baby's tongue. The remedy is to sing the coyote song (p. 316) and swing the tail of the coyote over the child.
The dog, a very near relative of the coyote in Pimería, also causes trouble for the children. When a child a month or two old is fretful and sleepless the medicine-man is pretty certain to diagnose the case as "dog disease." He does not treat it in any manner, but some one who knows the dog song (p. 315) is called in to sing, and as he sings he sways a stick that has some of a dog's vibrissæ tied to it, to and fro over the child.
The gopher causes stomach trouble, particularly in children. The remedy is to sing the gopher song (p. 319) and to press moistened earth from a gopher hill upon the affected part. At Gila Crossing were obtained two small deerskin bags containing tufts of eagle's down and two or three twigs that had been cut by a gopher. These were to be pressed upon the stomach of the child.
The jack rabbit causes open sores. The remedy is to sing the rabbit song (p. 314), and during the singing to swing over the patient the tail of the hare to which the animal's vibrissæ have been tied.
The mouse, kuwakawâpâkam, causes constipation in children. This is cured by singing the mouse song (p. 314), and pressing the tail of the mouse on the abdomen. If no prepared tail is available a dead mouse is used.
The ground squirrel of the mesas causes nosebleed.
There are but four birds that cause disease. There appears to have been no conscious classification in the minds of the Pimas in attributing certain afflictions to the birds. These diseases are all of a different nature, and are similar to those assigned to mammals and reptiles.
The eagle causes hemorrhage. The remedy is to sing the eagle song (p. 289) and to pass the down of the eagle over the part.
The eagle is also blamed for the lice that find refuge in the hair of the Pimas. The remedy is to blow cigarette smoke over the head.
The hawk causes hemorrhage in grown persons only. The disease is cured by singing the hawk song and passing the wing feathers of the bird over the patient. If one touches a hawk he must be secluded for four days.
The owl throws people into trances and fits. They are restored by having the owl song (p. 311) sung while six owl feathers mounted on a stick are swung over them. The cry of the small owl, kokovol(t), in the night is a bad sign. When the large owl utters a sound resembling human speech sickness may be expected.
The vulture or turkey buzzard causes sores, especially syphilis, and sore eyes on the baby if the parent eat a dead animal just before the child is born. The remedy is to sing the buzzard song and pass the wing feathers of the buzzard over the child.
A Gila monster if killed by the father just before the birth of a child causes the baby's body to become red and feverish. The remedy is to sing the Gila monster song (p. 307). Such a disease must be of rare occurrence and no other treatment is prescribed.
The horned toad causes rheumatism and hunchback. The remedy is to sing the horned toad song (p. 307), and press an image of the creature upon the patient (fig. 25, a). If one accidentally steps on a horned toad he must tie a red string around its neck and let it go, saying, "nyu u-ut hok," my blood eat. This is to cause the subtle toad to eat the bad blood that may cause disease in the person.
The large lizard, tcosokalt, is responsible for a fever in children, the most prominent symptom of which is the whitening of the skin. If any one who knows the lizard song (p. 308) is available he comes and presses an image of a lizard (fig. 25, b) on the child as he sings; if not, a lizard is killed and fat from its body is rubbed upon the child.
The rattlesnake causes kidney and stomach troubles in children. These are cured by singing the rattlesnake song (p. 309) and pressing the parts affected with an image in wood or stone of the rattlesnake.
The bite of the rattlesnake is cured by sucking the wound every morning for four days. Others suck it one or two days, and also ligature the limb with horsehair, or draw a circle around it with charcoal to define the limit of the swelling. The Papagos and Mexicans use the plant Euphorbia marginata to poultice snake bites, and it is possible that some Pimas use it also, though the writer was unable to find anyone who knew of its being so used.
While the rattlesnake is dreaded and under circumstances previously mentioned is regarded as possessing magic power, he occupies a far less important place in Pima thought than in that of the Hopis. It is said to be unlucky to come upon two rattlesnakes, one soon after the other, when engaged in searching for anything. If a child puts its foot through ah olla head ring that is commonly left lying about the premises, the mother warns him that the rattlesnake will bite him. The same fate is threatened if he puts his foot into the mortar in which the mesquite beans and other articles of food are ground. The rattlesnake is accredited with wisdom that directs it to the place where the best mesquite beans are to be had, though why such a locality has any attractions for it was not explained.
The turtle causes large sores on the body or cripples the legs. The treatment is to sing the turtle song (p. 306) and shake a rattle over the patient. The rattle is made by killing a river turtle and placing the body in an ant-hill until the ants have thoroughly cleaned out the shell, which is then mounted on a handle, and some gravel put into it.A butterfly with striped wings causes internal pains. The treatment consists in singing the butterfly song (p. 295) and pressing the body of the patient with four or five images of the butterfly cut from deerskin.
The worm, kămmâlt, when found dead and dried is ground up in the mortar and the powder used to cure sores around the baby's mouth.
One's teeth will fall out if he eats food over which some caterpillars have crawled.
The nausea of pregnancy is caused by unfaithfulness on the part of the woman. It is cured by singing the proper songs and striking two sticks a foot long over the patient afterwards.
The remolinos, or whirlwinds, that are so common in Pimería, cause pains in the legs, but not swellings. The remedy is to sing the wind song (p. 324) and to rub the limbs with the black gum of the okatilla, Fouquiera splendens.
The sun may cause disease for which there would seem to be no special song. However, a small colored image of the sun with feather rays attached is used by the medicine-man.
A captured Apache child might cause lameness in some member of the family by whom he was kept. It was cured by some one who had killed an Apache singing over the patient. Then the child must be sold to the Mexicans or Americans. It was also supposed that the touch of an Apache woman might cause paralysis.
Piholt was once a man, but is now an evil spirit living in the east, and causing a disease which has its songs.
The Nyavolt, an evil spirit, may induce a horse to throw his rider and injure him. The patient is cured by singing the Nyavolt song (p. 329) and swinging a pair of crossed sticks over the injured part.
A certain disease of the throat is called wheita, and the same name is given to a stick made from mesquite root, which is thrust down the patient's throat four times and then passed four times over the heart to cure him.
Tcunyĭm is an evil spirit that causes sickness in children. The most characteristic symptom is fretfulness. The Tcunyĭm song is sung and the child's body is pressed with a strand of hair taken in war from an Apache's head. The hair is cleaned and washed by some old person, then the ends are glued together with the gum of the creosote bush before it is ready to use. Âmĭna sticks tied with bluebird and redbird feathers are also used.
Kâʼmâl tkâk (pl. XLIV, b), who was accustomed to assist the doctors, states that this name is applied to a disease of the throat which causes the victim to lose flesh. The treatment consists in placing âʼmina in an olla of water to soak while the doctor or his assistant blows through a tube, called the tcunyĭm cigarette, upon the forehead, chin, breast, and stomach of the patient. The tube has a bunch of feathers attached called a-an kiatûta, and these are next swept in quick passes downward over the body. The âʼmĭna are then taken and sucked four times by the patient, after which the end of the bundle is pressed against the patient's body, then laid flat upon his breast and rubbed. Finally, the assistant repeats the speech of Siu-uu at the time when that deity restored himself to life, at the same time making passes toward the patient.
Magic influence exerted by evilly disposed persons, especially medicine-men, may cause a particular ailment, called "doctor's disease," in the cure of which the slate tablets found in the ruins are believed to be most efficacious. The information was given that no marking was made on the slates; they were simply placed in a vessel of water and the patient drank the water.
Sometimes the sickness of a child was believed to be due to the fact that some person desired to take it away from its parents. If they went to the covetous one and accused him of the crime the child immediately recovered.
Navitco (fig. 26) is an evil spirit adopted from the Papagos. His home is in the mountain called Papak, Frog.[1] This spirit causes the knees to swell and the eyes to become inflamed. It may safely be inferred that this disease has been a common one, as it is the practice to treat several at one time in a somewhat more elaborate ceremonial than is usual in the treatment of other diseases. One medicine-man personates Navitco, another known as Kâkspakam accompanies him; both are masked. At a signal from Navitco, given by throwing corn meal on the baskets, 15 or 20 persons appointed for the purpose sing the Navitco song (p. 326) , accompanied by the notched sticks, after which Navitco goes to each patient and pats him with eagle feathers until he has presumably drawn out all disease. He then throws away the feathers. He is followed by Kâkspakam, who seats himself before each patient to give him an opportunity to touch the mask and then the swollen knees. When the singers have finished, they rub the notched sticks over their own bodies to prevent contagion. All concerned in the ceremony must not eat salt for four days thereafter.
The Navitco medicine-men also claim to possess the power to bring rain.
The treatment of a child afflicted with dysentery mingles the new order with the old in an interesting manner, combining Christian baptism with pagan sun worship and magic medical practice.
A man and his wife who are close friends of the parents come early in the morning and wash the baby. If it is a boy, it is taken up at sunrise by the man, who breathes upon a cross and holds it toward the sun four times. If it is a girl, it is taken by the woman, who breathes upon a medal and holds the object toward the sun four times. Whichever object is used is next passed in the form of the cross over the face and again over the body of the infant by both the man and the woman. Each then holds the child four times in his or her arms before handing it to the parents. A name is given the child by the godfather and godmother. No child except one thus ill or another in the same family of a naming age at the time is ever christened thus. The godparents must give the child some wheat or corn each year until it grows up, and the parents give a basket each year in return.
Even horses may become sick through the evil influence of malicious medicine-men, who, it is said, "shoot" live coals into them—coals that have been taken from an Apache fire. The remedy is of a similar magic character. A reputable medicine-man is called in, who diagnoses the case and decides from what direction the coal was "shot." He does not sing, but after smoking a cigarette and blowing puffs of smoke about the premises and upon the horse he determines the place to suck out the coal from the distressed animal. When he gets the coal into his mouth he makes a pretense of being burned by it and immediately fills his mouth with water, after which he casts out the coal.
The transparent trick of sucking a hair from the body is resorted to in veterinary practice in a manner similar to that pursued when treating human ailments.
- ↑ Santa Catalinas, north of Tucson; altitude, 10,000 feet.