SURGERY.
Fractures. The Kaffir Surgeon (Igqira Elokuqapula) is fairly expert in
such cases and carries out a routine treatment. The usual drawing out
of the limb is performed, replacing any noticeable deformity. It is
then held in position while the surgeon makes three parallel incisions
over the seat of fracture. Into these incisions he rubs the ashes
derived from burning the roots of certain plants “awatunga” of which
one is the plumbago. The limb thus treated is then bound firmly with
strips of the inner bark of the mimosa tree which form an excellent
splint material. Some surgeons profess to know a “bone root” which
taken internally promotes rapid healing. I have been unable to identify
this. It is just possible that this incising and rubbing in of charcoal
acts as a counterirritant and thus prevents inflammatory mischief of
deeper structures. The selection of carbon in preference to other
substances shows at least a rudimentary knowledge of an antiseptic
substance being preferable.
Internally purgatives are administered to promote healing and ease
restlessness.
Dislocations. Are not generally differentiated from fractures.
Healing Wounds. Sufferers from extensive wounds are usually taken to
the top of a neighbouring hill and there kept in a newly built hut. (It
would seem that some tradition had taught these people that wounds heal
best in fresh air and cleanly surroundings).
In-kubele (Kaffir generic name for healing plants) are frequently used,
thus:—
a. The wound is sometimes dressed by the application of the leaves of a
small white Lily soaked in brandy or Kaffir beer.
b. The leave of the Ungcelwane (Aloe latifolia) is cut open and the
inner surface applied to the wound. The juice of this is pungent and
has a marked healing effect.
c. Swollen and inflamed wounds are poulticed with U-nomolwana (mallow
leaves in paste), which soon reduces the inflammation or brings the
abscess to a point. When the wound is cleaned in this way it is washed
with a decoction of mallow leaves made in an earthenware vessel (not a
metal pot) and an application made of one of the in-kubele (healing
plants), e.g., The leaves of the Pelargonium alchemilioides in the form
of a paste.
I have the record of a man with a perforating ulcer of the foot, who
refused amputation and who was ultimately cured by a Kaffir surgeon.
d. Callous ulcers or slow healing wounds are treated by applying the
juice of the Isi-dikili (Lasiosiphon Meisneri), which acts as a pretty
considerable irritant and answers its purpose admirably. It is also
used internally in infusion as an alterative and blood purifier.
e. The leaves of the Iyeza lezikali (Pelargonium-reniforme) when boiled
yield a mucilage that is applied on and around wounds to protect them
from flies which in this climate rapidly breed maggots in unhealthy
sores.
f. The leaves of the Ubu-shwa (Venidium arctotoides) are used for
callous ulcers after they have been scarified.
g. A paste of the leaves of I-dwara (Senecio latifolium) is used.
h. Um dambiso (Senecio concolor) also used in the form of a paste of
the mashed leaves.
i. An ointment made by boiling in lard the leaves of the Ubu-vumba
(Withania somnifera) is frequently applied in painful cases.
Burns. The following is a graphic description of the mode of treating
burns, given me by a Fingo. It is certainly not a gentle one. Here is
the case of a child who through carelessness has fallen into the fire
and lies screaming. It is found on examination to have a severely
burned arm and shoulder. The father takes the case in hand. He goes out
and secures some in-kubele (healing plants) and one or two mealie cobs
(the centre of the Indian-corn cob after the grain has been removed).
He has some water boiled and is now ready to commence operations. The
child is laid over his knee, while the mother stretches out the injured
arm and holds it firmly. The whole of the charred and injured tissues
are firmly rubbed off with the mealie cob, which has been soaked in the
hot water, until the wound is considered clean.
The screams of the child are not considered of any importance compared
with the scraping process which must be thorough.
The wound is then freely dressed with the leaves or mashes used in
healing wounds.
Tumours and Abscesses. Ama-fa, quba or i-tumba are looked upon as
collections of bad blood growing out. They, especially if painful are
treated by poultices of various herbs (vide healing wounds) and if they
point are frequently incised and evacuated.
Large tumours are not touched and are considered, in some tribes, to be
due to the touch of a bewitcher.
Lightning Stroke. The Basutos attempt resuscitation in cases of
apparent death from lightning stroke. They lay the person on his back,
extend his arms and make rythmical traction on the tongue, the while
the body and limbs are being well rubbed. 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 to purify all the people in the kraal by means of
ceremonies and incantations.
A beast, cow, ox etc., killed by lightning is treated in the same way
(buried whole and untouched), and the kraal avoided.
The isanuse in purifying the inhabitants of a kraal for “lightning
stroke” enchantment, doses them freely with Is-cimambilo (Pentanisia
variabilis) which, as its name implies, extinguishes the fire.
The Grahamstown Journal remarking on a recent case says. The reason why
the corpse of the native, struck by lightning, had been allowed to rot
in the road for a week was because nobody could be found to bury it. No
Kaffir would go near it, as they say, if they meddle with anything
struck by lightning, or indeed go near it, not only will ill-luck
attend them always afterwards, but their very lives will be in danger
from the “fiery bolts of Jove.”
In Tembuland the lightning had been unusally active, one hot season,
and had killed several cattle. The natives would not allow any stranger
to enter their kraals, and if by chance anyone got in he had to stay
there. No food was given to strangers and they were warned off. This
was the inhospitable state of affairs till the Amagqira had done their
duty and driven off the lightning.
The natives say the lightning is really a bird which they call
“Impundulu” or the lightning bird.
This bird appears as such only to women; but as lightning it darts down
and lays a big egg, where it strikes, which eggs bring ill-luck to the
neighbourhood where it is laid.
The only way to circumvent the bird, is to stand ready with a kerrie
(club) and hit right through the flash. (Putting salt on its tail in
fact). Needless to say that no one has ever succeeded in killing one
yet. The Isanusi is supposed to dig for this egg in order to destroy
it, but so far none has been demonstrated to the common public. Great
hopes are entertained for the future! The possession of the egg would
bring great good fortune to the possessor.
In olden times the “doctor” was a really clever man in many cases,
would come and do work for a bull, cow, or even heifer; but now the
“Doctors” have sadly deteriorated, and first his fee of a bottle of
brandy, three shillings, and a roll of tobacco must be paid before he
will fix up the case.
Need we remark doctors are now not so much used or respected. Down near
Alexandria in 1894, we know of only one hut being burnt down in the
whole year. That hut, the doctors say was burned down by the lightning
bird. The lightning struck near the huts of two men. They rushed out
and began digging for all they were worth; but failed to find the eggs.
Then one of them called in an Isanuse, and his place and himself were
“disinfected,” he paying besides the usual fee a bull calf. The other
man had no brandy, no money, no tobacco, and the doctor loved him not.
The former is a wealthy native now, owns a lot of cattle, and has two
wagons and plenty of wives and children; the latter man’s hut was burnt
down a week afterwards, and his little store of fifty bags of grain,
totally destroyed. Of course the lightning bird as I said before “fired
that hut.”
Opththalmia. I-ndloloti.
Treatment. a. The fresh juice of the umhlaba (Alœ ferox) is dropped
into the eye with good effect.
b. U-tywala bentaka (Lantano salviæfolia) in the form of an infusion of
the fresh leaves or at times the dried leaves is used. It is very
astringent, causes much smarting and only used in severe cases.
c. The juice pressed from the leaves of U-watile (Hippobromus alata) is
dropped into the eye; or by some, these leaves are chewed and the
saliva applied.
d. Iyeza bamehlo (Scabiosa columbaria) in infusion of the root.
e. I-ran (Urtica) nettle. Of this a paste is made of the leaves and
used externally.
Other affections of the eye are not specialised.
Snake-bite is a very common occurrence and one in the treatment of
which the Native is fairly expert.
I should before describing the treatment, notice the curious fact that
the native never wastes a snake. One seen is pursued till killed, then
its gall bladder is emptied and the gall mixed with the venom from its
venom sacks, and these mixed with clay into a bolus, which is then in
part or whole, swallowed, usually in two doses of a day’s interval. The
immediate effect is one of pleasant somnolence, and according to the
Native, the ultimate effect and that aimed at, is more or less complete
immunity from the dangers of snake-bite for the future.
Some Natives as a result of this practice acquire immunity and will
handle poisonous snakes with a freedom from fear, only accounted for by
a conviction of its being safe for them to do so.
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.
The ashes are rapidly raked out, and the bitten man rolled in skins
placed in it so as to induce an excessive perspiration, while plant
infusions are freely administered. Not a bad attempt at a domestic
Turkish bath.
The snake-bite plants most commonly used by the Kaffirs are:—
1. Um-fincafincane (Leontis leonurus) chiefly used by the Fingoes.
2. Ubu-hlungu benyushu (Teucrium Africanum) chiefly used by Gcalekas,
Tembus and Pondos.
It is interesting to note that to some extent the native Igqira
recognises the difference of bites by different snakes, using a
different species of Leontis for different cases.
3. Ubu-hlungu-bemamba (Melianthus comosus) is a valued cure amongst the
Pondos and Gaikas. This bark of the root is used.
This plant is also used for other poisonous bites e.g. The intojane, a
poisonous caterpillar, of the shaggy tarantula, this latter being very
common in the thatch of huts.
4. Ubu-hlungu besigcawu (Blepharis Capensis) is also used, as its name
implies for tarantula bite.
5. Isi-dikili (Lasiosiphon Meisneri) in doses of ½ oz. of dried root
often repeated. This plant is also used by the Gaikas as a gargle in
sore throat and a paste for open sores.
6. Ubu-hlungu benyoko (Acocanthera venenata) a very poisonous plant. A
small piece of the leaf is rubbed up in cold water and administered. It
produces violent vomiting. Several deaths are directly traceable to the
use of this highly dangerous plant.
Professor Sir T. Fraser of Edinburgh has extracted the active principle
of this and describes it (Acocantherine) as a glucoside, which
powerfully increases the systolic act of the heart, killing in this
way.
The Bushmen use this juice as an arrow poison.
7. Ubu lembu belitye (Parmelia conspersa) is a lichen. Scraped off the
rocks it is used for snake and other venomous bites.
8. Ili-bulawa. (Sebæa crassulæfolia) has been used with success in
recorded cases of puff-adder bite.
9. Um-nungumabele (Xanthoxylon Capense). A decoction of the tree root
is used.
There are also many others.
Kaffir beer is used as a stimulant in cases of collapse.