Untitled - Smithsonian Institution

Olbrechts] the swimmer MANUSCRIPT 17
to one or to several of the more striking symptoms; as "when they
have a headache," "when their eyes droop," "when they have a dry
cough," "when they discharge slimy matter from their bowels," etc.
As a ride, only the main symptom—that is, the phenomenon which
the patient or the medicine man considers as the main symptom—is
considered to be of any importance, and as a result of this many ailments
that are of an entirely different pathological nature are classed
as one and the same disease, because headache, for example, is the
most impressive symptom.
Yellowness of the skin, black rings round the eyes, headache,
swellings, and the nature of the feces and of the uiine are practically
the only general signs which the medicine men consider as being of
any importance.
Some may be impressed by the rationality of this symptomatology
but it should be borne in mind that the deductions made from it,
and the treatment followed as a result of it, are by no means as rational
as we are led to expect.
Headache is not so much a symptom as a proof that a group of
birds have invaded the patient's head, and are there carrying on in a
way which is not conducive to the rest of the victim. A swelling or
a dilatation of the stomach in no way indicates a trouble of the diges-
tive tract, but is merely the outward evidence of the ulsce-Do".
Diarrhea in children is evidenced by the nature of the feces, but is
explained by the fact that two rival teams of "Little People" are
playing a ball game in the child's stomach.
More of the symptoms that are known and that are occasionally
mentioned and taken into consideration will be discussed with the
relevant formulas.
Disease Causes
natural causes
However primitive and unsophisticated may be the views of a
tribe on disease and its causes, and however great may be the share
of mysticism and occultism in its explanation of the events of daily
life, yet there is almost everywhere a recognition of natural agency
if not for some of the ailments, at least for some accidents.
A Cherokee, wounded by falling with his hand on the cutting edge
of his ax, or brealdng his leg when sliding off a foot log when crossing
the river, may, if he has a turn of mind given to the mysterious and
the occult, explain those accidents by the machinations of an enemy,
but the chances are that he will look upon them in a very fatalistic
way, and will search for no hidden cause to explain so obvious a fact.
But one should never be too sure. If the same Cherokee slides
down a precipice through a lump of rock crumbling away beneath his
foot, or if he is wounded by a stray arrow, or by a tree branch falling
;