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Olbrechts] the swimmer MANUSCRIPT 157
Technique of Writing the Formulas
Reference has repeatedly been made in the course of this paper to
the sheets of paper and the notebooks in which the medicine men keep
their stock of sacred and medicinal knowledge recorded,
I will now briefly describe the technique observed by them in com-
piling, conserving, and using this information.
The most methodic of the medicine men keep notebooks the sizes
of which may differ from foolscap or quarto to 16° which they obtain
from the white traders, and in which they write down the formulas
they have been able to collect, without paying the slightest regard
whatever to system or classification.
A conjuration to cure headache may precede a love incantation,
which may be followed by a fishing song, after which a prescription
for diarrhea is found.
The Ay. manuscript following is by no means the worst example of
this motley topsy-turvy, as there are manuscripts in which the formulas
are even interspersed with notes of an historical interest, not
to speak of tribal records, such as births, deaths, accidents, etc.
It has always been a riddle to me how the medicine man finds the
formula he needs for a particular occasion. This is indeed often a
rather difficult proposition, but even if there are manuscripts contain-
ing nearly 300 formulas, the medicine man always knows exactly
which formulas it contains. This, to my mind, is quite a remarkable
feat of memory, since in such a compilation quite a few of the
formulas are of necessity practically identical.
Where the formulas are kept on loose sheets of paper, of all dimen-
sions and aspects, some of them written out in lead pencil, others in
ink, others again with red or brown crayons, the confusion is even
greater.
Roughly spealdng, the contents of these collections may be divided
into formulas and prescriptions. Usually they have a title written
as a caption at the top, but this is not a rule, as very often the contents
and the purpose of the formulas are briefly indicated at the end
in the "directions."
Both "title" and "directions" the Cherokee caU by the same name:
De'^GO'St'stsGQ'M, i. e., "where they (the information, pi.) have been
assembled." The directions at the end of the formula usually convey
such information as the purpose of the formula, directions as to the
simples or other materia medica to be used; how this is to be prepared
(often even where the plants can be found), which paraphernalia are
to be used, what ritual is to be gone through, and the restrictions to
be observed by the patient, and eventually by the medicine man.
Occasionally the fee is also listed here.
Sometimes a part of the directions of the formula, especially the
passage conveyiug the information about the purpose it is used for.