Bantu folk lore (medical and general) / by Matthew L. Hewat, M.D.

  • Hewat, Matthew L.
Date:
[1906]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Bantu folk lore (medical and general) / by Matthew L. Hewat, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    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. Taking a “ Herb Doctor all-round he is often a clever fellow, good at the cure of some diseases, and his methods and principles compare favourably with those ascribed to Aesculapius and Galen in the early history of medicine. The Kaffir uses a pronominal prefixual poly- syllabic language, and attention to the structure of Kaffir words is necessary in order to under- stand the terms applied to the various kinds of Kaffir doctors. “ Isanuse ” is a substantive term of unknown origin, meaning a witch finder or witch doctor. Most of the other names consist of two parts