Untitled - Smithsonian Institution

230 BUREAU OF AMEHICAN" ETHNOLOGY [l^oix. 09
This is the Medicine When they Attack Him Suddenly
FREE TRANSLATION
The men have just gone Ij}-,
Under the earth they have just gone by.
They have caused relief.
The men have just gone by,
Under the earth they have gone by,
They have caused relief. Sharply!
My father on high loves tliy soul,
Thy soul my father loves.
Thy soul, he on high loves.
Thy soul he loves. Ha-yi.
My uncle on high loves thy soul,
Thy soul my uncle loves.
Thy soul, he on high loves.
Thy soul he loves. Ha-yi.
Ng'^qwo'na' SQ**mla''GtM' (4 times).
Now then! It is merely su'sa that has put the nnportant thing
under him; it is merely eozalf.i.
Now then! Thou Little Man, thou wizard, on the sunny side of
the mountain slope you have been let down. When the soul slips
out (of thy hand), thou art continually gripping it back; thou art
doing as one who takes a finner grip of something (when it is about
to escape from his grasp). Thou art continually gripping the soul
back, (and) not for one night (only, but forever). ReHef has been
caused indeed, sharply!
explanation
This peculiar formula is intended for the treatment of what, from
the description given of the symptoms, appears to be apoplexy. The
patient is stricken suddenly, becomes black in the face, and falls to
the ground struggling and gasping for breath. The attack is frequently
fatal. The sickness closely resembles that described in No.
16 and is attributed to the same cause: the raccoon, on account of the
gasping sound made b}^ the struggling victim. The raccoon theory
in connection with gasping attacks seems to be held by the medicine
men generally.
The formula consists of a song of four verses, followed by a recited
part. The medicine used is an infusion of the root of o'^Dahca'^li,
Panax trifolium L., dwarf ginseng, groundnut, to which the leaves of:
tso*'laGay9"'"li, Nicotiana rustica L., wild tobacco, may be added.
The ginseng may be used by itself, but the other herb can not be
used without a small piece of ginseng root.
The liquid is heated by dropping into it four or seven coals of fire.
Sometimes also the arms of the patient are scratched and some
pungent decoction is rubbed into the scratches.