Matthew L. Hewat

“ Any one who comes upon an Icanti suddenly remains motionless and speechless.
This snake can be preserved in various ways, and is secretly kept by some woman who hands it down to her daughters and they to their female descendants so that disease occuring in a tribe and to which certain families are liable (hereditary disease) is ascribed to the influence of the Icanti, always be it understood with the assistance of his co-workers, the Tikoloshe and Im-pundulu. ”

“ Paralysis. I-dumbe is attributed entirely to supernatural causes and for its treatment the Isanuse (witch-doctor) is called in to find out, “who has bewitched him.” The bewitcher may be severely dealt with.
Epilepsy. (Fits) Isi-tutwani is recognised as a constitutional disease and treated by the Igqira elemiciza (herb doctor) . His method is as follows:—a. Various Herbs are mixed, which administered in decoction, act as a strong [71] emetic. A sheep is killed and the dung from its entrails is rubbed all over the patient’s body. ”

“ He is paid a retaining fee and a good one if successful.
Speaking generally his powers are quite unlimited; although in many instances, some particular Medico will specialize and become famous for some one or group of diseases, his patients often coming great distances to consult him or her as the case may be, for sex makes, except in a few cases, no difference.
As a general rule some form of Incantation is used to exorcise the demon of disease, and if the doctor attributes the illness to the work of some departed spirit, sacrifices are offered to appease his wrath. ”

“ When disease does occur in man or animal it is almost invariably ascribed by the Kaffir to [10] the agency of human beings, either a living person or as often as not some departed relation who has used witchcraft or “Umtagati.”
Even the vast majority of Mission or school natives who are more or less educated, retain this belief, so deep is it rooted in the native mind, in spite of the fact that Missionaries have preached against it for years.
Throughout South Africa the practice of witchcraft is a criminal offence and severely punished ”

“ First he recapitulates the disease and details of treatment that have been adopted, and then accuses someone of witchcraft, someone whom he has a spite against or whom he knows to be suspected. Says the child was charmed by the individual by means of magic medicines which he had burned, which drew the lizard and toad and snake, “Uhili, Icanti and Impundulu” to the mother’s hut and then the child sickened. He predicts his certain death: a self evident fact by this time and which soon takes place, resulting in much trouble in the king’s household and often bloodshed. ”

“ They all carry on their person charms [28] of numerous kinds; dried lizards, tiger’s teeth, fish bones, etc., etc., etc., that have for them special virtues; and the large majority claim to have power over the demons of disease; for to the unsophisticated Kaffir, all disease is caused by “Umtagati” or witchcraft, and although the doctor may rely on his herbs and treatment to cure his patient, he is led to practice spells and go through incantations to meet the evident expectations of his patients, and perhaps more so of the relatives. ”

“ Amongst most tribes a person killed by lightning is looked on with great awe and as a rule no one will touch him. The Isanusi is called, and after many incantations and purifyings, a hole is dug near him and the body rolled into it. The spot is then “Isitshu,” sacred and enchanted. The whole kraal is then put in “Coventry” and no communication allowed with anyone, neighbours or visitors, for months. An isanuse is then engaged, paid a large fee and proceeds [90] to purify all the people in the kraal by means of ceremonies and incantations. ”

“ This is a term used to designate the practitioner who professes to draw out the malady by rubbing or grasping with the hand or sucking with the mouth. They often also use herbs and leaves as applications, and, as in the case of the “Awobulongo” (cowdung doctor) , frequently produce things as the cause of the disease, the presence of which they have previously arranged. Thus an Igqira Elokuqubula will suck over a painful joint after having well rubbed it, and produce from his mouth a snake or lizard, previously placed there, as the cause of the disease and pain. ”

“ He points at the individual whom he has decided to incriminate saying, “you [33] took the assegai with the crack in the handle which you mended with a thong of goat hide in the spring last year, and digging in front of the hut of the sick person, buried something (previously and in secret placed there by the Isanuse) , by which you bewitched the child.” This knowledge of details fills the spectators with dread and wonder at the powers of the “doctor” and convinces his friends, who know that he has an assegai, so mended, of his guilt. ”

“ During the initiation the candidate is hypnotised by the Isanuse and made to see and converse with these spirits, as it is from them that all his knowledge comes when in practice. As one would expect, the impressions of the lessons are at times lasting and unhinge the minds of weak ones, who continue to have delusions and are then considered to be possessed by their departed ancestors. In the treatment of this, therefore, every endeavour is made to propitiate these ancestors, by sacrifices and offerings, mostly with the assistance of one of the witch doctors. ”

“ An “Isanuse” is consulted as above described. He decides on the illness and advises a certain Gqira. This Gqira (Native doctor) is sent for and a goat killed for his entertainment. He doses the little patient [35] with infusion of various herbs, frog’s feet, baboon’s hair, lizard’s tails and other items of his grotesque pharmacopœia. He then hangs some infallible charms, tied up in the inevitable bag round the child’s neck and departs next morning with an ox or other good fee, promising certain cure: Result nil.
Another “Gqira” a most celebrated practitioner is sent for. ”

“ Externally a paste of the leaves of the same plants is put around, not on the pimples, to limit the local disease and prevent the inflammation spreading. The pustule itself is treated by dropping the juice of a sedative plant on it. It is left uncovered and freely exposed to the air, and the application made from time to time until the scab falls off. The Kaffir believes, and experience has been his guide, that the pustule must be left alone, and meddling with it, either by incision, excision or irritation is dangerous treatment. ”

“ The Zulus have some curious practises, with regard to children.
At the age of about ten days the first “charm” is worked. It consists of partly burying the infant at some spot near where lightning has [101] been known to strike. The hole need not be more than a few inches deep. The mother places her naked infant in the hole, when the Isanuse chewing some medicine roots, squirts it over the child, muttering an incantation as he does so. ”

“ Other things which are believed to cause disease are:—
4. In-Qumbabane. This is a wand like snake which is believed to be the chief cause of fevers. By getting inside a person it eats up the inside of the man and so causes his death. Speaking generally as in old English lore the methods adopted to get rid of this In-Qumbabane are aimed at making the host an unpleasant abode for it and thus evil smelling [14] herb are rubbed on the orifices of the body and bitter nauseating drugs swallowed. ”

“ The foregoing pages prove, I think, to us that the Kaffir races, as represented by their “Amagqira,” possess no mean amount of knowledge of disease and its treatment, and their extensive use of herbs show in an astonishing degree, the valuable information which the tribes possess of the therapeutic actions and uses of the vegetable kingdom as it exists in those parts of the country which they inhabit. ”

“ Should there be a scarcity of rain, the people would go to the chief and say, “Why do you allow this drought to go on? Why do you not approach your ancestors”; when a great sacrifice would be offered. ”

“ This is another snake chiefly known by Zulus and used by them as a charm. If not properly used it causes sickness or death, and has come to be looked on as a possible cause of sickness in many cases.
6. Omitting to observe certain ceremonies or rites is supposed to cause umbrage to the spirits and thus, bring about illness. Thus if the finger of a new born infant is not cut, the infant will be sickly and die young.
If “circumcision” in man or “Intonjane” in woman is omitted the Imishologu (spirits of the dead) are dissatisfied and disease or barren-results. ”

“ One must not however jump to the conclusion that the average Mosuto has raised himself in intellectual capacity or freedom from sensualism and superstition far above the other Bantu tribes. Good government has however so improved his material condition and raised his standard of comfort that it may at least be said that the seeds of civilization are sown on favourable soil. ”

“ It is contracted by the natives feeding on the meat of anthractuose cattle. So confident are the natives in their power to cure the disease, should it appear, that they have little hesitation in eating the infected meat; a fair proof of the success of their doctors’ practice. The procedure is this:—Generally speaking, be as early as possible, for should the pustule, which under their treatment should rise properly, be allowed by delay to subside, a native doctor will not undertake the case, as he considers it useless to do so. ”

“ Cape Colony or Natal under heavy penalties if discovered, they practice secretly and do much harm; mysterious burnings of Kraals, etc., taking place after the departure of one of these gentry. Until recently they practiced unrestrained in Zululand and Pondoland, and exercised a truly awful power for evil; hundreds and even thousands having been “smelled out” and put to death within recent times.
Probably no more villainous and unmitigated fraud than the Kaffir “Isanuse” exists on the face of the earth. ”

“ Casalis in recording the birth of 490 Basuto Children, states that of these 160 die in infancy, and one is not surprised when one considers the trying ordeals of their first few days of life.
No sooner is the baby born than the points of its fingers are bled for luck. The infant is then held in the smoke of a slow fire of aromatic woods till it sneezes or coughs to show that it is not bewitched. Then commence its ablutions. It is first thoroughly rubbed all over with a solution of cowdung and then rubbed clean as possible and rolled in the skin of a goat or sheep recently killed. ”

“ Chiefs frequently lend their wives to their headmen, that they may “raise children to their kraal.”
Among the Zulus and most of the other Bantu tribes the custom is different.
The maid is confined with others in a separate hut. She has her own mat to lie on, made of a peculiar kind of grass called “Nxopo,” her own cooking pot and eating utensils. Only her nearest female relatives are allowed to approach. She never touches flesh with her hands, using for this purpose a forked stick, and she never uses milk. ”

“ The cow is found and made a living sacrifice of.
The beast is bound and thrown, and the people round, led by the doctor, stab it on the navel and belly, and while the poor brute bellows from pain, the doctor and people shout out “You are well;” “Get up,” etc., etc., and in some miraculous way the patient is immediately cured of his pain. Another Agqira is then called in to complete the cure by means of herbs, &c., which frequently produce vomiting and purging. ”

“ This is a curious fact, when one realizes that these leaves are rich in “Salicin” the very drug used as a specific in modern medicine.
Scrofula. I-hashe. This is a fairly common disease, looked upon as due to bad blood or weak parents.
Treatment: A very large variety of herbs is used by the Amagqira Awemiciza for this disease either as a paste to external manifestations or internally in infusion. The best known are:—
Each or all of these drugs, amongst others is used for I-hashe or if a running sore (I-quita) Scrofula, multiple running swellings, or enlarged glands. ”

“ The general method of treatment is:—
The bitten limb is at once tied with a thong or anything available between the body and the bite and the wound freely incised and bled. A native cupping-glass “luneka” (a cow’s horn open at either end, suction by the mouth being applied at the smaller) is then thoroughly used. The patient is in the meantime dosed freely with one or other of the numerous snake-bite cures, a mash of the leaves being finally put on as a poultice.
In some tribes a pit is dug, and filled with bushes, which are burnt. ”

“ I have no record of this disease being recognised by the Kaffir as anything but sorethroat Umqala, if it occur at all.
Dyspepsia and Indigestion. I-dliso.
Believed to be caused by eating poisonous foods, and usually treated by emetics e.g. In-kamamasane (Euphorbia pugniformis) one [77] of the class of drugs known amongst the natives as Intsema, acting as a severe emetic and purge. The juice tapped from the living stem of these plants is collected in maize meal and made into a bolus to be swallowed; about half a drachm of the drug being taken at a time. ”