File:The Indians' secrets of health - or, What the white race may learn from the Indian (1917) (14767866191).jpg

Identifier: secretsof00jameindiansrich (find matches)
Title: The Indians' secrets of health : or, What the white race may learn from the Indian
Year: 1917 (1910s)
Authors: James, George Wharton, 1858-1923 James, George Wharton, 1858-1923
Subjects: Indians of North America Indians of North America -- Foreign influences Indians of North America -- Health and hygiene
Publisher: Pasadena, Calif. : Radiant Life Press
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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ct that Toholwoh was a gift of the goodgod, Tochopa, and was for the purpose of purifyingthe body from all evil. As soon as the song ended, we were all sweatingfreely, but when the flap was opened, it was not to letus out, but to receive more hot rocks. As we sang asecond song the heat grew more penetrating, so thatthe words seemed to have real meaning. Our petitionwas that the heat of Toholwoh might enter our eyes,our ears, our nostrils, our mouths, etc., each organbeing named at the end of the line of petition. Thesong comprised a great long string of organs, some ofwhich I had never heard of before. By this time sweatwas pouring off from our bodies, but the flap was openedonly to receive more rocks. At the third time a bowlof water was handed in to my companion, which I wasreaching for in order to enjoy a drink, when, to myhorror and surprise, he sprinkled the water over thered-hot rocks. The result was an instantaneous cloudof steam, which seemed to set my lips and nostrils on 163
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A iMOHAVK INDIAN W KAlPKlJ I i* 1\ lil.S HAHlilT SKIN BLANKET. THE INDIAN AND SOME LUXURIES fire and absolutely to choke nie and prevent my breath-ing. Yet the two Indians began another song, so Idetermined to stick it out and stand it as long as Icould. Of course, in a few moments the intense heatof the steam was lost, and then I was able to join in thesong. At its close the same process of steaming wasrepeated, and then I sprang out and dived headlonginto the cool (not cold) waters of the flowing Ilavasu,where for a long time I swam and enjoyed the delicioussensations with which my body was filled. Then,after a rub down with clean, clear, clayey mud, andanother plunge, I lay in the sun on a bed of willows,listening to the Indians tell stories, and I can truthfullysay I never felt so clean in my life. This bath is taken by thousands of the SouthwestIndians once a week as a matter of religion, so that, asa fact, while their clothes are ragged and dirty, andthey themselves appear to be

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