Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/410

 As in Java, the placenta is regarded as the younger brother or sister (adòë ) of the new-born child, but the estimation of the liquor amnii as the elder brother is unknown in Acheh.

The child, still united to its adòë, is placed for the time being on a fine large betel-nut spathe. The woman, after being cleansed and treated with sundry oils which her mother holds in readiness, is laid upon a bench or platform (prataïh). After the woman has recovered a little, an oven is placed beneath this platform, and in this a fire is kept up continually for forty-four days. The idea is that the almost insupportable heat and smoke will counteract the collection of damp in the woman's body and assist in quickly restoring her figure to its former shape. During this period it is said of the woman that she is "engaged in drying herself over the fire" (madeuëng ). She is then called ureuëng didapu i. e. "one that lies close to the hearth."

The woman suffers dreadfully under this process, and tosses hither and thither to save her skin from being scorched. She is not allowed to quench her thirst with water, but must be content with a little tea. She gets nothing to cool her parched mouth except some sugarcane and pineapple which she is allowed to chew. Of late a less severe treatment of women after childbirth has begun to be adopted in imitation of the Javanese.

As an instance of "pantang" during this period of drying, the woman