anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第190部分

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　particularly　handsome　features；　some　are　marked　with　scarred　lines；　inflicted　as　signs　of　courage。

Cosmetic　Mutilations。In　modern　times　there　have　been　individuals　expert　in　removing　facial　deformities；　and　by　operations　of　various　kinds　producing　pleasing　dimples　or　other　artificial　signs　of　beauty。　We　have　seen　an　apparatus　advertised　to　be　worn　on　the　nose　during　the　night　for　the　purpose　of　correcting　a　disagreeable　contour　of　this　organ。　A　medical　description　of　the　artificial　manufacture　of　dimples　is　as　follows：〃The　modus　operandi　was　to　make　a　puncture　in　the　skin　where　the　dimple　was　required；　which　would　not　be　noticed　when　healed；　and；　with　a　very　delicate　instrument；　remove　a　portion　of　the　muscle。　Inflammation　was　then　excited　in　the　skin　over　the　subcutaneous　pit；　and　in　a　few　days　the　wound；　if　such　it　may　be　called；　was　healed；　and　a　charming　dimple　was　the　result。〃　It　is　quite　possible　that　some　of　our　modern　operators　have　overstepped　the　bounds　of　necessity；　and　performed　unjustifiable　plastic　operations　to　satisfy　the　vanity　of　their　patients。

Dobrizhoffer　says　of　the　Abipones　that　boys　of　seven　pierce　their　little　arms　in　imitation　of　their　parents。　Among　some　of　the　indigenous　Australians　it　is　quite　customary　for　ridged　and　linear　scars　to　be　self…inflicted。　In　Tanna　the　people　produce　elevated　scars　on　the　arms　and　chests。　Bancroft　recites　that　family…marks　of　this　nature　existed　among　the　Cuebas　of　Central　America；　refusal　being　tantamount　to　rebellion。　Schomburgk　tells　that　among　the　Arawaks；　after　a　Mariquawi　dance；　so　great　is　their　zeal　for　honorable　scars；　the　blood　will　run　down　their　swollen　calves；　and　strips　of　skin　and　muscle　hang　from　the　mangled　limbs。　Similar　practices　rendered　it　necessary　for　the　United　States　Government　to　stop　some　of　the　ceremonial　dances　of　the　Indians　under　their　surveillance。

A　peculiar　custom　among　savages　is　the　amputation　of　a　finger　as　a　sacrifice　to　a　deity。　In　the　tribe　of　the　Dakotas　the　relatives　of　a　dead　chief　pacified　his　spirit　by　amputating　a　finger。　In　a　similar　way；　during　his　initiation；　the　young　Mandan　warrior；　〃holding　up　the　little　finger　of　his　left　hand　to　the　Great　Spirit；〃　。　。　〃expresses　his　willingness　to　give　it　as　a　sacrifice；　and　he　lays　it　on　the　dried　buffalo　skull；　when　another　chops　it　off　near　the　hand　with　a　blow　of　the　hatchet。〃　According　to　Mariner　the　natives　of　Tonga　cut　off　a　portion　of　the　little　finger　as　a　sacrifice　to　the　gods　for　the　recovery　of　a　superior　sick　relative。　The　Australians　have　a　custom　of　cutting　off　the　last　joint　of　the　little　finger　of　females　as　a　token　of　submission　to　powerful　beings　alive　and　dead。　A　Hottentot　widow　who　marries　a　second　time　must　have　the　distal　joint　of　her　little　finger　cut　off；　another　joint　is　removed　each　time　she　remarries。

Among　the　mutilations　submitted　to　on　the　death　of　a　king　or　chief　in　the　Sandwich　Islands；　Cook　mentions　in　his　〃Voyages〃　the　custom　of　knocking　out　from　one　to　four　front　teeth。

Among　the　Australian　tribes　the　age　of　virility　and　the　transition　into　manhood　is　celebrated　by　ceremonial　customs；　in　which　the　novices　are　subjected　to　minor　mutilations。　A　sharp　bone　is　used　for　lancing　their　gums；　while　the　throw…stick　is　used　for　knocking　out　a　tooth。　Sometimes；　in　addition　to　this　crude　dentistry；　the　youth　is　required　to　submit　to　cruel　gashes　cut　upon　his　back　and　shoulders；　and　should　he　flinch　or　utter　any　cry　of　pain　he　is　always　thereafter　classed　with　women。　Haygarth　writes　of　a　semi…domesticated　Australian　who　said　one　day；　with　a　look　of　importance；　that　he　must　go　away　for　a　few　days；　as　he　had　grown　to　man's　estate；　and　it　was　high　time　he　had　his　teeth　knocked　out。　It　is　an　obligatory　rite　among　various　African　tribes　to　lose　two　or　more　of　their　front　teeth。　A　tradition　among　certain　Peruvians　was　that　the　Conqueror　Huayna　Coapae　made　a　law　that　they　and　their　descendants　should　have　three　front　teeth　pulled　out　in　each　jaw。　Cieza　speaks　of　another　tradition　requiring　the　extraction　of　the　teeth　of　children　by　their　fathers　as　a　very　acceptable　service　to　their　gods。　The　Damaras　knock　out　a　wedge…shaped　gap　between　two　of　their　front　teeth；　and　the　natives　of　Sierra　Leone　file　or　chip　their　teeth　after　the　same　fashion。

Depilatory　customs　are　very　ancient；　and　although　minor　in　extent　are　still　to　be　considered　under　the　heading　of　mutilations。　The　giving　of　hair　to　the　dead　as　a　custom；　has　been　perpetuated　through　many　tribes　and　nations。　In　Euripides　we　find　Electra　admonishing　Helen　for　sparing　her　locks；　and　thereby　defrauding　the　dead。　Alexander　the　Great　shaved　his　locks　in　mourning　for　his　friend；　Hephaestion；　and　it　was　supposed　that　his　death　was　hastened　by　the　sun's　heat　on　his　bare　head　after　his　hat　blew　off　at　Babylon。　Both　the　Dakota　Indians　and　the　Caribs　maintain　the　custom　of　sacrificing　hair　to　the　dead。　In　Peru　the　custom　was　varied　by　pulling　out　eyelashes　and　eyebrows　and　presenting　them　to　the　sun；　the　hills；　etc。　It　is　said　this　custom　is　still　in　continuance。　When　Clovis　was　visited　by　the　Bishop　of　Toulouse　he　gave　him　a　hair　from　his　beard　and　was　imitated　by　his　followers。　In　the　Arthurian　legends　we　find　〃Then　went　Arthur　to　Caerleon；　and　thither　came　messages　from　King　Ryons　who　said；　'even　kings　have　done　me　homage；　and　with　their　beards　I　have　trimmed　a　mantle。　Send　me　now　thy　beard；　for　there　lacks　yet　one　to　the　finishing　of　the　mantle。'　〃　The　association　between　short　hair　and　slavery　arose　from　the　custom　of　taking　hair　from　the　slain。　It　existed　among　the　Greeks　and　Romans；　and　was　well　known　among　the　indigenous　tribes　of　this　continent。　Among　the　Shoshones　he　who　took　the　most　scalps　gained　the　most　glory。

In　speaking　of　the　prisoners　of　the　Chicimecs　Bancroft　says　they　were　often　scalped　while　yet　alive；　and　the　bloody　trophies　placed　on　the　heads　of　their　tormentors。　In　this　manner　we　readily　see　that　long　hair　among　the　indigenous　tribes　and　various　Orientals；　Ottomans；　Greeks；　Franks；　Goths；　etc。；　was　considered　a　sign　of　respect　and　honor。　The　respect　and　preservation　of　the　Chinese　queue　is　well　known　in　the　present　day。　Wishing　to　divide　their　brother's　kingdom；　Clothair　and　Childebert　consulted　whether　to　cut　off　the　hair　of　their　nephews；　the　rightful　successors；　so　as　to　reduce　them　to　the　rank　of　subjects；　or　to　kill　them。　The　gods　of　various　people；　especially　the　greater　gods；　were　distinguished　by　their　long　beards　and　flowing　locks。　In　all　pictures　Thor　and　Samson　were　both　given　long　hair；　and　the　belief　in　strength　and　honor　from　long　hair　is　proverbial。　Hercules　is　always　pictured　with　curls。　According　to　Goldzhier；　long　locks　of　hair　and　a　long　beard　are　mythologic　attributes　of　the　sun。　The　sun's　rays　are　compared　to　long　locks　or　hairs　on　the　face　of　the　sun。　When　the　sun　sets　and　leaves　his　place　to　the　darkness；　or　when　the　powerful　summer　sun　is　succeeded　by　the　weak　rays　of　the　winter　sun；　then　Samson's　long　locks；　through　which　alone　his　strength　remains；　are　cut　off　by　the　treachery　of　his　deceitful　concubine　Delilah　（the　languishing；　according　to　the　meaning　of　the　name）。　The　beaming　Apollo　was；　moreover；　called　the　〃Unshaven；〃　and　Minos　cannot　conquer　the　solar　hero；　Nisos；　until　the　latter　loses　his　golden　hair。　In　Arabic　〃Shams…on〃　means　the　sun；　and　Samson　had　seven　locks　of　hair；　the　number　of　the　planetary　bodies。　In　view　of　the　foregoing　facts　it　seems　quite　possible　that　the　majority　of　depilatory　processes　on　the　scalp　originated　in　sun…worship；　and　through　various　phases　and　changes　in　religions　were　perpetuated　to　the　Middle　Ages。　Charles　Martel　sent　Pepin；　his　son；　to　Luithprand；　king　of　the　Lombards；　that　he　might　cut　his　first　locks；　and　by　this　ceremony　hold　for　the　future　the　place　of　his　illustrious　father。　To　make　peace　with　Alaric；　Clovis　became　his　adopted　son　by　offering　his　beard　to　be　cut。　Among　the　Caribs　the　hair　constituted　their　chief　pride；　and　it　was　considered　unequivocal　proof　of　the　sincerity　of　their　sorrow；　when　on　the　death　of　a　relative　they　cut　their　hair　short。　Among　the　Hebrews　shaving　of　the　head　was　a　funeral　rite；　and　among　the　Greeks　and　Romans　the　hair　was　cut　short　in　mourning；　either　for　a　relative　or　for　a　celebrated　personage。　According　to　Krehl　the　Arabs　also　had　such　customs。　Spencer　mentions　that　during　an　eruption　in　Hawaii；　〃King　Kamahameha　cut　off　part　of　his　own　hair〃　。　。　。　〃and　threw　it　into　the　torrent　（of　lava）。〃

The　Tonga　regarded　the　pubic　hairs　as　under　the　special　care　of　the　devil；　and　with　great　ceremony　made　haste　to　remove　them。　The　female　inhabitants　of　some　portions　of　the　coast　of　Guinea　remove　the　pubic　hairs　as　fast　as　they　appear。　A　curious　custom　of　Mohammedan　ladies　after　marriage　is　to　rid　themselves　of　the　hirsute　appendages　of　the　pubes。　Depilatory　ointments　are　employed；　consisting　of　equal　parts　of　slaked　lime　and　arsenic　made　into　a　paste　with　rose…water。　It　is　said　that　this　important　ceremony　is　not　essential　in　virgins。　One　of　the　ceremonies　of　assuming　the　toga　virilis　among　the　indigenous　Australians　consists　in　submitting　to　having　each　particular　hair　plucked　singly　from　the　body；　the　candidate　being　required　not　to　display　evidences　of　pain　during　the　operation。　Formerly　the　Japanese　women　at　marriage　blackened　their　teeth　and　shaved　or　pulled　out　their　eyebrows。

The　custom　of　boring　the　ear　is　very　old；　mention　of　it　being　made　in　Exodus　xxi。；　5　and　6；　in　which　we　find　that　if　a　Hebrew　servant　served　for　six　years；　his　freedom　was　optional；　but　if　he　plainly　said　that　he　loved　his　master；　and　his　wife　and　children；　and　did　not　desire　to　leave　their　house；　the　master　should　bring　him　before　the　judges；　and　according　to　the　passage　in　Exodus；　〃he　shall　also　bring　him　to　the　door　or　unto　the　doorpost；　and　his　master　shall　bore　his　ear　through　with　an　awl；　and　he　shall　serve　him　forever。〃　All　the　Burmese；　says　Sangermano；　without　exception；　have　the　custom　of　boring　their　ears。　The　days　when　the　operations　were　performed　were　kept　as　festivals。　The　ludicrous　custom　of　piercing　the　ears　for　the　wearing　of　ornaments；　typical　of　savagery　and　found　in　all　indigenous　African　tribes；　is　universally　prevalent　among　our　own　people。

The　extremists　in　this　custom　are　the　Botocudos；　who　repr