Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/269

264 child is born. The remedy is to sing the buzzard song and pass the wing feathers of the buzzard over the child.

A Gila monster if killed by the father just before the birth of a child causes the baby's body to become red and feverish. The remedy is to sing the Gila monster song (p. 307). Such a disease must be of rare occurrence and no other treatment is prescribed.

The horned toad causes rheumatism and hunchback. The remedy is to sing the horned toad song (p. 307), and press an image of the creature upon the patient (fig. 25, a). If one accidentally steps on a horned toad he must tie a red string around its neck and let it go, saying, "ny -t hok," my blood eat. This is to cause the subtle toad to eat the bad blood that may cause disease in the person.

The large lizard, tcosokalt, is responsible for a fever in children, the most prominent symptom of which is the whitening of the skin. If any one who knows the lizard song (p. 308) is available he comes and presses an image of a lizard (fig. 25, b) on the child as he sings; if not, a lizard is killed and fat from its body is rubbed upon the child.

The rattlesnake causes kidney and stomach troubles in children. These are cured by singing the rattlesnake song (p. 309) and pressing the parts affected with an image in wood or stone of the rattlesnake.

The bite of the rattlesnake is cured by sucking the wound every morning for four days. Others suck it one or two days, and also ligature the limb with horsehair, or draw a circle around it with charcoal to define the limit of the swelling. The Papagos and Mexicans use the plant Euphorbia marginata to poultice snake bites, and it is possible that some Pimas use it also, though the writer was unable to find anyone who knew of its being so used.

While the rattlesnake is dreaded and under circumstances previously mentioned is regarded as possessing magic power, he occupies a far less important place in Pima thought than in that of the Hopis. It is said to be unlucky to come upon two rattlesnakes, one soon after the other, when engaged in searching for anything. If a child puts its foot through ah olla head ring that is commonly left lying about the premises, the mother warns him that the rattlesnake will bite him. The same fate is threatened if he puts his foot into the mortar in which the mesquite beans and other articles of food are ground. The rattlesnake is accredited with wisdom that directs it to the place where the best mesquite beans are to be had, though why such a locality has any attractions for it was not explained.

The turtle causes large sores on the body or cripples the legs. The treatment is to sing the turtle song (p. 306) and shake a rattle over the patient. The rattle is made by killing a river turtle and placing the body in an ant-hill until the ants have thoroughly cleaned out the shell, which is then mounted on a handle, and some gravel put into it.