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Untitled - Smithsonian Institution

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oIbreSts] the SWIMMEE MANUSCRIPT 65<br />

obtainable by the Cherokee, they never abstain from these articles<br />

when under medical treatment.<br />

It seems to me that the reason for these restrictions are to be<br />

sought in another direction: The smarting of salt in open wounds and<br />

the scalding effect of hot food have probably given the people the<br />

notion that these two articles of diet are of a pain-aggravating<br />

nature.<br />

One disease, G(.-'c4!)'' a'naldzi'skwsko-'.i ("when they spit blood"),<br />

is actually caused by "eating too much salt," Del. told me.<br />

It also struck me that these two restrictions always most rigorously<br />

apply in cases of hemorrhage (woands, menstruation, partus, etc.)<br />

or when there are smarting pains, even if these be internal, as in<br />

gonorrhea, pneumonia, tuberculosis, etc.<br />

Another significant fact that I M-ish to present to substantiate<br />

the view here defended is that a prescription of Ms. Ill, the object<br />

of which is to cure a sldn eruption, prescribes go.in'o" a'ma' u'tbtso'Ji<br />

nt'Gesg-'na ("and also grease with which (however) no salt has been<br />

mixed").<br />

Roth, pages 348, 352, mentions two facts which of course could not<br />

prove my point of view, but which are nevertheless interesting parallels.<br />

"The Piache's (medicine man's) first prescription is to impose<br />

a general fast on the patient and his kinsfolk; the majority of the<br />

Piaches demand that no one belonging to the house should eat any-<br />

thing hot, anything cooked, or peppers" (p. 352).<br />

Apart from salt and hot food, which are prohibited in the greater<br />

majority of diseases, there are some other taboos that are to be<br />

observed when suffering from some particular ailments.<br />

So will the patient under treatment for rheumatism have to abstain<br />

from eating squirrel or rabbit meat, because of the hunchback position<br />

that is so characteristic of these animals; the one suffering from<br />

diarrhea should not eat fish or chicken, because the feces of these<br />

animals would seem to indicate that they are chronically afflicted<br />

with this very disease; the one visited with watery blisters should<br />

abstain from all juicy fruit and vegetables, etc.<br />

Some of the taboos are to be observed during the course of the<br />

treatment only (usually four days), others "for a very long time,"<br />

or "as long as possible," which may mean anything from a month to a<br />

year; others again for lifetime.<br />

In very rare cases, not onlj^ the patient, but also the medicine man<br />

treating him, as well as the assistant of the latter, who is usually a<br />

member of the patient's household, have to abstain from certain<br />

articles; e. g., when treating anyone who has been wounded by a<br />

bullet or an arrow, the medicine man should not chew tobacco for<br />

four days; this same taboo has to be observed by the patient.

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