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Table 4 Conditions

From: Johan Turi’s animal, mineral, vegetable cures and healing practices: an in-depth analysis of Sami (Saami) folk healing one hundred years ago

Ailment

  Source

Method

References

appetite loss

T1 p. 119

let blood from above the foot*

A: [12, 13]

B: [79]

backaches

T1 p. 126

massage the area, pull and stretch the skin

A: [12, 13, 29]

C: [80, 81]

bleeding, hemorrhage

T1, T2 p. 129, XXV, XXXI

recite an incantation**

A: [29]

body aches (hip, back, chest, shoulder, shooting pains)

T1, T2 p. 119, XXVIII

let blood from specific areas of the body*

A: [12, 13]

B: [79]

boils

T2 XXIX

recite an incantation**

A: [13, 29]

bostta

T1, T2 p. 122, 128, XVIII, XIX

(see below)

A: [12]

dead body bostta (from touching a dead person’s clothing or smelling their corpse)

T2 XVIII

recite an incantation**

A: [13, 29]

dead body bostta (from ingestion of corpse fluid)

T2 XVIII

none provided

 

dry-earth bostta (psoriasis?)

T2 XVIII

rub a piece of sod (possibly a lichen) on affected area**

C: [67, 68, 82]

earth bostta (infectious disease?)

T2 XVIII

rub a piece of sod (possibly a lichen) on affected area**

C: [67, 68, 82]

old-maid bostta (unknown)

T2 XVIII

press the sick spot with the old-maid’s clothes and recite an incantation**

B: [14]

wet-earth bostta (small pox, chicken pox, eczema?)

T2 XVIII

rub a piece of sod (possibly a lichen) on affected area**

C: [67, 68, 82]

wind bostta (genetic condition, maybe eczema?)

T2 XVIII

recite an incantation**

 

chest pain

T1 p. 119

let blood from above the foot*

A: [12, 13]

B: [79]

childbirth

T1, T2 p. 24, 128–129 XXXVIII

advice and various techniques provided (see other tables)**

A: [12, 13]

constipation

T1 p. 124

administer an edema of oatmeal and warm water, or reindeer bone fat and warm water

A: [12, 13]

coughing

T1 p. 126

cool soles of patient’s feet with ice and then heat them up as hot as the patient can stand

A: [12, 13, 63]

dislocated joints and fractures

T1 p. 167

cool the affected bones in a stream until numb then set the bones to the proper positions, secure with a splint

A: [13]

drowning

T1 p. 127

lay victim so water can drain out of the lungs, be quiet so as to not frighten the life spirit, massage the victim

A: [83]

C: [84]

fainting

T1 p. 120

burn undergarments, let blood from nine different locations*

 

T1 p. 127

flap victim’s arms up and down

A: [83]

C: [85]

fractures

T2 XXXV

burn a small amount of fungus (Piptoporus betulinus) directly on the affected area

A: [12]

frostbite

T1 p. 124

massage affected area with subsurface snow until it becomes red again

A: [12]

gout

T1 p. 120

let blood from the outer side of the leg, arm, and ankle

A: [12, 13]

B: [79]

headache

T1 p. 121

massage head and neck, pull hair at the apex of the head, wash the head in hot coffee

A: [12, 13, 29]

C: [61, 81]

T2 XXXV

burn a small amount of fungus (Piptoporus betulinus) directly on the affected area

A: [12]

nausea

T1 p. 127

measure the belt of the affected person (to induce vomiting)

A: [13]

pneumonia

T2 XXXV

burn a small amount of fungus (Piptoporus betulinus) on body

A: [12]

pregnancy cravings

T2 XXXVII

pass partially chewed food to a female dog*

A: [12]

B: [14]

C: [16]

rheumatism

T2 XXXV

burn a small amount of fungus (Piptoporus betulinus) directly on the affected area

A: [12]

startling

T1 p. 120

bleed three small amounts of blood from the “heart artery,” if bleeding persists, press with silver coin*

A: [12, 13, 29]

B: [79]

strained spermatic cords

T1 p. 126

rub gently in an upward direction

A; [12]

C: [80, 81]

strained tendons

T2 XXVI

wrap with wool and recite an incantation**

A: [12]

C: [33]

swelling

T1 p. 124

mix flecks of copper into reindeer fat and apply to swelling

B: [8, 48]

C: [49, 50]

T1 p. 124

apply a thin layer of birch bark (Betula sp.) to the affected area

A: [12]

T2 XXXIV

burn a small piece of sailcloth on affected area

A: [12]

swelling explanation

T2 XXI, XXVII

an invasion of cold, heat, water, or perspiration into a wound, can use magic to prevent*

B: [7]

toothache

T1 p. 121

stab the sore gland near tooth with an awl, release at least three drops of blood

A: [12]

C: [86]

toothache

T1 p. 126

rub both sides of throat, all around the mouth, neck tendons, and back tendons

C: [61, 86]

toothache

T2 XXXV

burn a small amount of fungus (Piptoporus betulinus) directly on the affected area

 

unconscious infant (strangled by umbilical cord)

T1 p. 24

suck on mouth and nose, leave cord intact

 

urinary stoppage (female)

T1 p. 124

administer an edema of oatmeal and warm water, or reindeer bone fat and warm water

A: [12]

urinary stoppage (male)

T1 p. 124

rub soot from the bottom of a copper kettle on the outside of the penis

A: [12]

wound caused by iron

T2 XXXI

recite an incantation**

A: [29]

  1. *magical treatment.
  2. **accompanying incantation.
  3. A: mentions of similar remedies used in other cultures.
  4. B: historical commentaries on a particular remedy or technique.
  5. C: research that evaluates the possible efficacy of compounds or techniques described in the remedy.