Indian Antiquary Vol 58

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 364

32
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[OCTOBER, 1929
Excluding malaria, endemic disease has not been recognised among the Andamanese, and the only epidemics that had been known to attack them up to 1901 are imported pneu· monia (1868), syphilis (1876), measles (1877), and influenza (1892), in that order : unhappily
with disastrous effect. Exposure to the sun and wind in the cleared spaces, the excessive use of tobacco and over-clothing, as results of contact with civilization, are also said to have undermined their health as a body of human beings. Intoxicants are forbidden to them by local rules and are not easily or commonly procured by them.
The diseases which the Andamanese distinguish by name are malarial fever, catarrh, coughs and rheumatism. Phthisis and heart disease are recognised, but are believed to be spirit caused and so are all internal maladies, which of course are not understood.
Medicine and surgery are almost absent from the Andamanese purview. They will bleed on the forehead for fever and headache and round abscesses to alleviato pain. They scarify for rheumatism and internal pain as a last resort. Red ochre and various herbal concoctions are both swallowed and applied as all-healers, in which they have great faith. Certain leaves are sometimes applied to local affections and beds made of them for the sake of their supposed medicinal dour. Cinctures, sometimes of human bones, are used to alleviate pain, but no other charms aro employed. Occasionally the diet is slightly changed to relieve illness, and they are quick to avail themselves of the hospital provided for them. They are extremely afraid of European surgery and will tremble violently at the sight of the operating knife. They smear themselves with white clay and water against the heat of the sun, and with red ochre and oil after dark as a protection against cold."
The sick are sympathetically and very kindly, but superstitiously, treated. There are no pregnancy customs and those at childbirth are sensible and without superstition, difficult delivery being practically unknown.
Snakebite is uncommon and seldom fatal. Ligatures above the bite and scarifying are applied, both operations showing observation and common sense. Bites of centipedes, scor. pions, leeches and ticks cause little inconvenience to the Andamaneso, though very much to immigrants.
The figures of the men are muscular and well formed and generally pleasing; often a young man is distinctly good looking, for, though there is a tendency to prognathism, it is not commonly pronounced, while a straight and well formed nose and jaw, accompanied by supe. rior intelligence and an irritable temper indicating a nervous temperament, are by no means rare. The natural good looks of many of the people are injured by the habit of shaving and smearing themselves with greasy red and white pigments.
The pleasing appearance of the mon is not a characteristic of the women, whose habits of completely shaving the head and profusely smearing themselves, with an early tendency to stoutness and ungainliness of figure and sometimes to pronounced prognathism, frequently make them unattractive objects to Europeans. They are, however, bright and merry even into old age and are under no special social restrictions, have a good doal of influence, and in old age are often much respected. They, nevertheless, readily and naturally acquiesce in a posi. tion of subordination, slavery and drudgery to the men, and are apt to herd together in parties of their own sex. Variation from type is much commoner among the men than the women.
(ii) Mental Characteristics. The nerve development of the Andamanese is low, pain is not severely felt and wounds quickly heal. The sense development is normal, and instances of unusual acuteness observed are the result of personal training in certain directions and not of heredity, e.g., they will recognisexone of themselves at a great distance, but not an unaccustomed objeot such as a European: they can smell a fire or hear the sound of dancing also at a great distance, but this is because they are always on the look out for these things and their discernment is a matter of habit and of much consequence to theinselves. They can, in short, do well such things as they pay particular or habitual attention to.