ihev are not averse to English wines when they find them. They still hold little intercourse with the rest of the world, save when they come down for trading purposes in the plains.
prepared rice beer, though
The
prevailing diseases amongst
these men
are?
1. Intermittent fever.
6. Intestinal worms.
2. Remittent fever.
7. A peculiar kind of ulcer,
3. Diarrhoea.
called
4.
doomooro.
Dysentery.
in
Assamese
8. Affections of the eye.
5. Scabies.
1 and 2. Although it might be expected, (if we believe that malaria loves the surface of the ground, and does not ascend high hills or places of elevation,) that these people should bo tolerably free from the attacks of malaria, yet it is not so, and one cause of their frequently getting the above diseases is that the sides of their hills are covered with dense jungle, and here malaria of the deadliest type originates from decomposing vegetation. To the influence of this deleterious agent they are constantly
exposed, whether they go to their farms or descend to fetch water springs below, because their footpath lies through these jungles, and they have no high roads or other means of descending or going to other villages. The types of these fevers are seldom virulent; and nothing like the dreadful epidemics which rpge in the plains of Bengal has ever been heard of in the Naga from
When attacked with any disease, whether it be fever or any one of those which follow in my list, they, having no medical treatment or native medicines of their own, take usually a fowl and sacrifice to their gods, in case the disease proves to be severe. It is an established maxim with these people, that starvation hills.
during disease does more harm than good ; consequently they take their usual diet, as much as tlieir appetite permits them, during illness. No people follow so strictly the rule of vis medicatrix natura" than those ; and if the doctrine that mind has a good any value .is to be attached to deal of influence on the state of tho body as regards health and disease, nowhere is it more fully demonstrated than in the case of these people. For, when depending on nature does them no good during a disease, they always sacrifice pigs and fowls to their gods, with the faith that the evil spirit which has given birth to the disease will be driven out by the gods, and so they will be cured; and in several cases they are actually cured by this means. English mcdicines and doctors they value in case the doctor or his medicines never fail, whether the affection be simple or severe. This is not only the case with these people alone, but also with the Meekirs, Cookies, and Cacharis ; all these, like the Nagas, having no medicines of their own, trust to their gods and nature in cases of disease. It is no wonder that the greater part of the mortality 3 and 4. which results in a Naga village is from these diseases. If we accept as true that impure water and air, and decomposed food, can give rise to diarrhoea and dysentery, then it is to be granted that providence is especially kind to these men; for I believe it is not as yet known to the public that there are few animals in nature which a Naga does not cat with relish; and it is said by them that decomposed fish and meat taste better than fresh ones. A Naga does not caro whether the water ho drinks is pure or impure, and the food he takes is fresh or decomposed; and, if we examine the interior of his dwelling, ho surpasses the native of the plains in respect of uncleanliness; because in the same room he sleeps with pigs and fowls, and never cares to throw off their excreta but when the quantity is large and occupies space. If we analyse the usual constituents of his diet, Rice and we shall find that more than half of it is decomposed. vegetables, though simply dressed and taken like other riceeating people, are deprived of their good qualities, when, at the same time, he drinks pints of decomposed beer not only during meals, but also through the rest of the day. The meat he takes is usually also a decomposed article, because fowls being in and abstinence from food
"
PREVAILING DISEASES IN THE ANGAMI NAGA HILLS. Bt Hem Chunder Bhuttaciiarjee,
Sub-Assistant Surgeon. The valley of the Berhampootra is encircled with mountains or hills of various heights on all sides, except on the west, "where it opens into the plains of Bengal. The southern extre-
mity
of this
valley
is bounded
by
a
continuous range of
hills,
"Which have been artificially divided into the Garrow hills, the Cossyah and Jyntea hills, and the Naga hills ; these designations signify that this continuous range is inhabited by distinct hills tribes, known as the Garrows, the Cossyahs, Jynteas, and the Nagas. The Naga tribe is divided into four sub-tribes; the Angami, the Lotab, the Ivutcha, and the Rengma Nagas. The last, on account of mutual wars, have deserted their original
habitations,
a distinct set of hills, some two Angami brethren, occupying only a limited The Angami Nagas live in strawhuilt houses on the summits of hills, varying in height from 500 feet to 3,000 feet above the level of the sea, feeding themselves with rice vegetables, meat, and fish, and their home-
and
now
inhabit
days' journey
from their tract of country.
j
the INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
14
these hills very dear (and there are few of these men that can afford five or six fowls a day for the family) to satisfy their desire for meat, they consume the remnant of some monkey or elephant or deer killed three or four days or months, before. "When they kill an animal affording a huge quantity
flesh, they store it for future use by drying or smoking it in Fish they seldom get, but when they do it is always decomposed, because, having no other instruments to catch them, they kill them with a species of vegetable poison, which becomes a powerful ferment in the dead fish. A few hours are sufficient to produce decomposition. Habit, which is considered second nature, does modify the effect of these noxious agents a good deal; but when from any cause the health is a little below its par, their effects are easily
of
fire.
manifested. 5. The causc of this parasitic disease is that the water supply being scanty in these hills generally, and, when not so, brought
from distances many thousands of feet below their homes, the trouble which it creates has, as it were, accustomed them to wash their bodies as seldom as possible; and if we say that they are washed only twice in their lives, namely, when born and when dead, it will not be far from the truth; consequently their bodies and clothes are dirty in the extreme, and as the itch insect a nasty fellow to one who cleans his body often, it finds convenient soil in the persons of these Nagas. * Intestinal worms occur here in the shape of round worms. 6. It is not only frequent in the Naga hills, but also in Assam
prefers a
.
generally. What the cause of its general prevalence is still in the dark, although it is said that impure water is the cause of it; still it is found in those who take the precaution to drink water filtered and boiled. In Assam, natives and newcomers alike suffer from it, so few can be said to be free from its attacks. 7. This is a peculiar kind of ulcer, with a central hard white core composed of semi-organized fibrous substance, and covered with a scab, which, when peeled off, a puriform creac^ substance makes its exit, and when this is washed off, the central core It occurs, as a rule, in the sole of the foot, in comes in view. numbers varying from 1 to 20; and in a manner cripples the patient. It is not only peculiar with these hill people, but is also found in the people of the plains in Assam. They are not very obstinate to treatment. Several cases I have successfully treated with caustic simply, first removing the scab, and, after removing the puriform matter, a good touch with nitrate of silver for a day or two forms another new scab, and the ulcer heals under it. One peculiarity with these ulcers is that they are prone to return. 8. Affections of the eye, namely, conjunctivitis of the simple and catarrhal kind, is common among these people ; it is owing, I believe, to the frequent alterations of temperature prevalent in these hills, and also to the dirty habits of the Nagas never cleaning the secretions of the eye after a night's rest: these accumulate, and, from their irritation, the diseases in question are produced. Other diseases besides those mentioned are not very common
here, though occasionally found. Diseases of the chest, gout, rheumatism, elephantiasis, and goitre are seldom met with; few cases that are occasionally found may be called exceptions. Epidemic diseases, such as cholera, small-pox, measles, though not unknown to these men, are also less frequent here than in the plains. The fear of small-pox among these men is so great, that they often come back from the middle of their journey on a trading excursion if they are informed that small-pox rages in the locality they intend to trade in. They neither allow anybody coming from an infected locality to enter their village, nor do they even speak with him. They have no system of preventing the disease by vaccination or inoculation, so their bitter experience of the dreadful mortality in bygone epidemics has taught them to shun this enemy from a distance.
[January
1,1809'
One
great blessing which the Nagas still enjoy is their extreme freedom from syphilis and the attendant evils that follow in its train. Secluded from the rest of the world by forests of many days' journey, they never hold sexual intercourse with the people of the plains, (who hate them as objects not to be
touched) though they
are
very
immoral regarding chastity
amongst themselves. This boon which civilisation has destroys in other places they still enjoy, and will continue to do so till they intermarry with their more civilised brethren of the plainS* 15th August, 1868.
prepared rice beer, though
The
prevailing diseases amongst
these men
are?
1. Intermittent fever.
6. Intestinal worms.
2. Remittent fever.
7. A peculiar kind of ulcer,
3. Diarrhoea.
called
4.
doomooro.
Dysentery.
in
Assamese
8. Affections of the eye.
5. Scabies.
1 and 2. Although it might be expected, (if we believe that malaria loves the surface of the ground, and does not ascend high hills or places of elevation,) that these people should bo tolerably free from the attacks of malaria, yet it is not so, and one cause of their frequently getting the above diseases is that the sides of their hills are covered with dense jungle, and here malaria of the deadliest type originates from decomposing vegetation. To the influence of this deleterious agent they are constantly
exposed, whether they go to their farms or descend to fetch water springs below, because their footpath lies through these jungles, and they have no high roads or other means of descending or going to other villages. The types of these fevers are seldom virulent; and nothing like the dreadful epidemics which rpge in the plains of Bengal has ever been heard of in the Naga from
When attacked with any disease, whether it be fever or any one of those which follow in my list, they, having no medical treatment or native medicines of their own, take usually a fowl and sacrifice to their gods, in case the disease proves to be severe. It is an established maxim with these people, that starvation hills.
during disease does more harm than good ; consequently they take their usual diet, as much as tlieir appetite permits them, during illness. No people follow so strictly the rule of vis medicatrix natura" than those ; and if the doctrine that mind has a good any value .is to be attached to deal of influence on the state of tho body as regards health and disease, nowhere is it more fully demonstrated than in the case of these people. For, when depending on nature does them no good during a disease, they always sacrifice pigs and fowls to their gods, with the faith that the evil spirit which has given birth to the disease will be driven out by the gods, and so they will be cured; and in several cases they are actually cured by this means. English mcdicines and doctors they value in case the doctor or his medicines never fail, whether the affection be simple or severe. This is not only the case with these people alone, but also with the Meekirs, Cookies, and Cacharis ; all these, like the Nagas, having no medicines of their own, trust to their gods and nature in cases of disease. It is no wonder that the greater part of the mortality 3 and 4. which results in a Naga village is from these diseases. If we accept as true that impure water and air, and decomposed food, can give rise to diarrhoea and dysentery, then it is to be granted that providence is especially kind to these men; for I believe it is not as yet known to the public that there are few animals in nature which a Naga does not cat with relish; and it is said by them that decomposed fish and meat taste better than fresh ones. A Naga does not caro whether the water ho drinks is pure or impure, and the food he takes is fresh or decomposed; and, if we examine the interior of his dwelling, ho surpasses the native of the plains in respect of uncleanliness; because in the same room he sleeps with pigs and fowls, and never cares to throw off their excreta but when the quantity is large and occupies space. If we analyse the usual constituents of his diet, Rice and we shall find that more than half of it is decomposed. vegetables, though simply dressed and taken like other riceeating people, are deprived of their good qualities, when, at the same time, he drinks pints of decomposed beer not only during meals, but also through the rest of the day. The meat he takes is usually also a decomposed article, because fowls being in and abstinence from food
"
PREVAILING DISEASES IN THE ANGAMI NAGA HILLS. Bt Hem Chunder Bhuttaciiarjee,
Sub-Assistant Surgeon. The valley of the Berhampootra is encircled with mountains or hills of various heights on all sides, except on the west, "where it opens into the plains of Bengal. The southern extre-
mity
of this
valley
is bounded
by
a
continuous range of
hills,
"Which have been artificially divided into the Garrow hills, the Cossyah and Jyntea hills, and the Naga hills ; these designations signify that this continuous range is inhabited by distinct hills tribes, known as the Garrows, the Cossyahs, Jynteas, and the Nagas. The Naga tribe is divided into four sub-tribes; the Angami, the Lotab, the Ivutcha, and the Rengma Nagas. The last, on account of mutual wars, have deserted their original
habitations,
a distinct set of hills, some two Angami brethren, occupying only a limited The Angami Nagas live in strawhuilt houses on the summits of hills, varying in height from 500 feet to 3,000 feet above the level of the sea, feeding themselves with rice vegetables, meat, and fish, and their home-
and
now
inhabit
days' journey
from their tract of country.
j
the INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
14
these hills very dear (and there are few of these men that can afford five or six fowls a day for the family) to satisfy their desire for meat, they consume the remnant of some monkey or elephant or deer killed three or four days or months, before. "When they kill an animal affording a huge quantity
flesh, they store it for future use by drying or smoking it in Fish they seldom get, but when they do it is always decomposed, because, having no other instruments to catch them, they kill them with a species of vegetable poison, which becomes a powerful ferment in the dead fish. A few hours are sufficient to produce decomposition. Habit, which is considered second nature, does modify the effect of these noxious agents a good deal; but when from any cause the health is a little below its par, their effects are easily
of
fire.
manifested. 5. The causc of this parasitic disease is that the water supply being scanty in these hills generally, and, when not so, brought
from distances many thousands of feet below their homes, the trouble which it creates has, as it were, accustomed them to wash their bodies as seldom as possible; and if we say that they are washed only twice in their lives, namely, when born and when dead, it will not be far from the truth; consequently their bodies and clothes are dirty in the extreme, and as the itch insect a nasty fellow to one who cleans his body often, it finds convenient soil in the persons of these Nagas. * Intestinal worms occur here in the shape of round worms. 6. It is not only frequent in the Naga hills, but also in Assam
prefers a
.
generally. What the cause of its general prevalence is still in the dark, although it is said that impure water is the cause of it; still it is found in those who take the precaution to drink water filtered and boiled. In Assam, natives and newcomers alike suffer from it, so few can be said to be free from its attacks. 7. This is a peculiar kind of ulcer, with a central hard white core composed of semi-organized fibrous substance, and covered with a scab, which, when peeled off, a puriform creac^ substance makes its exit, and when this is washed off, the central core It occurs, as a rule, in the sole of the foot, in comes in view. numbers varying from 1 to 20; and in a manner cripples the patient. It is not only peculiar with these hill people, but is also found in the people of the plains in Assam. They are not very obstinate to treatment. Several cases I have successfully treated with caustic simply, first removing the scab, and, after removing the puriform matter, a good touch with nitrate of silver for a day or two forms another new scab, and the ulcer heals under it. One peculiarity with these ulcers is that they are prone to return. 8. Affections of the eye, namely, conjunctivitis of the simple and catarrhal kind, is common among these people ; it is owing, I believe, to the frequent alterations of temperature prevalent in these hills, and also to the dirty habits of the Nagas never cleaning the secretions of the eye after a night's rest: these accumulate, and, from their irritation, the diseases in question are produced. Other diseases besides those mentioned are not very common
here, though occasionally found. Diseases of the chest, gout, rheumatism, elephantiasis, and goitre are seldom met with; few cases that are occasionally found may be called exceptions. Epidemic diseases, such as cholera, small-pox, measles, though not unknown to these men, are also less frequent here than in the plains. The fear of small-pox among these men is so great, that they often come back from the middle of their journey on a trading excursion if they are informed that small-pox rages in the locality they intend to trade in. They neither allow anybody coming from an infected locality to enter their village, nor do they even speak with him. They have no system of preventing the disease by vaccination or inoculation, so their bitter experience of the dreadful mortality in bygone epidemics has taught them to shun this enemy from a distance.
[January
1,1809'
One
great blessing which the Nagas still enjoy is their extreme freedom from syphilis and the attendant evils that follow in its train. Secluded from the rest of the world by forests of many days' journey, they never hold sexual intercourse with the people of the plains, (who hate them as objects not to be
touched) though they
are
very
immoral regarding chastity
amongst themselves. This boon which civilisation has destroys in other places they still enjoy, and will continue to do so till they intermarry with their more civilised brethren of the plainS* 15th August, 1868.
