Browse:ROOTMAN DESCRIBES WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE HUMAN BODY (Volume 4, entries 7242)
ROOTMAN DESCRIBES WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE HUMAN BODY
Volume 4, entries 7242. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE → A FEW MORE DOCTORS. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 7242
Wal yo' goes an' use de devils-shoestring, black root, rattlesnake mastah, an' use de calomel [calamus] root [sweet flag (Acorus calamus)] dat goes on a - yo' kin take a li'le whiskey an' yo' put dat on dere. Dat goes through an' through de human body - which an' why it is de only way de most in de haid, yo' see, it flusteratin' through de jungle vein. An' from de - from it functions tuh de bowels it goes on an' den it gotta take effect on de kidneys. Den de kidneys git wrong an' den it gotta take effect on de bladdah. An' den she take dat line an' it goes up tuh de lungs. Den fore dey git de heart pertected [protected], yo' see, dat makes a function tuh it - dat makes it a slow. Den dat goes up in de haid. Den dat goes an' make dem absent-minded. But now, aftah yo' give dem dat, dey gon'a use yo' gon'a use yore method den. An' de firs' thing yo' have tuh do is give dem salts from Central America. A teaspoonful an' dat take it 'way, which an' why dat gon'a make de othah fellah whut done it - yo' see he goin' tuh know but he cain't tell whut's de trouble. An' one [once] yo' take it [spell] off, it will nevah come back no mō'. (How do you give her these roots? Do you put them in a bottle of whiskey or does she drink it or what does she do?) Nah, yo' let [her] take dat - yo' let 'er drink it.
(And then you use this powder too?)
Dat salts from Central American.
(How do you use that powder?)
Yo' jis' take it an' give it tuh - give dem a dose, jis' lak yo' take in yore hand a halfa teaspoonful.
(That will cure her then?)
Dat will cure her cuz dat will got through all de art'ries, all de jungle veins. Yo' see, dat goes when de heart is vaporating de bloods from de lungs. Dat will go tuh de brains, dat will go tuh de cap of de brain an' dat will cuz de - dat will work on de bowels an' git all de stuff whut is in dem. Dat'll empty it. Den yo' give dem de rattlesnake mastah or John de Conkah; an' den yo' give dem de blackroot, supposed tuh be anothah method whut yo' kin use in anothah way.
[While recording machine is turned off, something is said about spirits.]
(Well, now suppose you tell me this method first. Whose spirit do you call? The person who had this spell put on the person? Or do you call a root doctor or a conjurer?) Yo' jis' make a prayah: Lord, heah ah am an' whosomevah put de spell on me, Lord ah wan' chew tuh achly [actually] he'p 'em tuh take it off. Den dat will come tuh be, reveal [itself]. See, de spirit will go wit de man doin' de right thing. (Well, after the woman is cured, then what do you do with the spirit that you caught?) Wal, when she cured, turn 'im loose.
(How do you turn him loose?)
All yo' gotta do, unscrew it [bottle] an' let 'im go.