_From Copyright Photograph 1907 by E.S. Curtis_
Many of the medicine-men have some knowledge of the medicinal properties
of plants and generally make use of them in the treatment of disease, but
their treatment consists more of incantation than aught else. Even in
collecting the plants they invoke the deities, usually facing the cardinal
points in turn. In case the prescription calls for a combination of herbs
or other vegetal products, the number four is always strictly adhered to;
it might be a decoction made of four roots of one variety or of a single
root from each of four varieties of plants.
Every Apache medicine-man has a medicine skin, his _epu{~COMBINING BREVE~}n ezchi_,
inscribed with the symbolism of the tribal mythology. With his prayer
wands he rehearses the symbolic figures, praying to the mythical
characters who are regarded as most efficacious in the particular ailment
under treatment. In his own little _kowa_, or dwelling, with the painted
deerskin spread before him, on which are delineated the symbolic
representations of a score of gods comprising the Apache pantheon, a
medicine-man will sit and croon songs and pray all day and all night in
the hope of hearing the voices of celestial messengers.
Many of the prayers and songs of the Apache medicine-men are very
beautiful. The following is an example:
1 _Stena pehi{~COMBINING BREVE~}nda nzhoni, togonil adahe be{~COMBINING BREVE~}oishka__n__._