Former Healthfulness of the Race. From what I could learn from many of the aged Maoris they appear to have been, from their account, a singularly healthy race before the advent of Europeans among them. At that time it would appear the most common diseases were rheumatism, among the aged; paipai, a cutaneous disorder; and the hakihaki, or itch. One of the most insidious of contagious maladies, before entirely unknown to them, was, it is asserted, introduced by the crew of a whaling vessel, soon after the arrival of the first Europeans, to whom likewise the natives attribute the introduction of phthisis and other kindred complaints. Besides the other diseases to which I have alluded elsewhere as conducing principally to the decay of the race, the Maoris, especially those living in the vicinity of European settlements, frequently suffer from typhoid and other of the common fevers; but epidemics of a more serious nature are infrequent among them, although they have a tradition that an epidemic disease of a very virulent character visited the country before the whites arrived, and carried off great numbers of the inhabitants. Medicine. Of the science of medicine the Maoris know very little, and their nostrums are obtained principally by the infusion of plants, herbs, and the barks of trees. They, however, place great faith in the curative properties of the mineral waters in which their country abounds. Native Pharmacopoeia. Harakehe (Phormium tenax), the New Zealand flax decoction of leaf and root, used for paipai, a cutaneous disease, also as a purgative and worm medicine. Horopito, a shrub decoction of leaves, used for paipai. Huhu, a grub found in the rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum), matai (Podocarpus spicata), and Kahikatea (Podocarpus dacrydioides) are eaten as a medicine. Kakikatea (Podocarpus dacrydioides), decoction of leaves used for internal complaints. Kareas (Rhipogonum scandens), decoction of roots used as sarsaparilla; the young shoots are eaten as medicine for the hakihaki, or itch. Kawakawa (Piper excelsum), leaf used for the paipai, and to heal cuts and wounds. Kohekohe, a powerful tonic; a weak infusion of the leaves stops the secretion of milk. Kohukohu, a lichen, when dried and reduced to powder is applied to cutaneous eruptions. Kopakopa (Trichomanes); the leaf is used to heal ulcers. Koromiko (Veronica sulcifolia); an infusion of the leaf is a powerful astringent; a weak infusion, a tonic; the leaves are applied as a poultice for ulcers. A decoction of the leaves is valuable in dysentery. A small portion of the leaf, if chewed, soon produces a keen sense of hunger. Mamahu (Cyathea medullaris); the bruised pith is used as a poultice for sore eyes. Miro (Podocarpus ferruginea); a weak infusion of the bark is taken for stomach-ache. Mouku, an edible fern; a wash obtained from the root is used for sore eyes. Ngareku, charcoal, powdered fine, is used for cutaneous diseases. Papanuga, the infused bark is drunk for the hakihaki. Papa-auma, or mistletoe; the bruised bark is applied for the itch by rubbing it over the skin. Paretau (Asplenium obliquum), a large-leaved fern; the root is used for paipai. Patete, the sap is used for scrofulous sore and ringworm. Bohutukawa (Metrosideros tormentoso); an infusion of the inner bark is used for diarrhoea. Pukatea (Atherosperma Nova Zelandia); the bark is used for scrofulous sores. Raorao (Pteris esculenta); tender shoots used for dysentery. Rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum); an infusion is used to heal running ulcers. Tawa (Nesodaphne tawa), the bark is used for stomach-aches and colds. Ti (Cordyline australis); an infusion of the leaves is used for dysentery. Toatoa (Phyllocladus trichomanvides); the leaves are used for scrofulous diseases. Tutu (Coriaria ruscifolia); the tender shoots, when plucked at certain seasons, are taken for dysentery. APPENDIX. List of the New Zealand Tribes, with their Localities. These tribes constitute the principal divisions of the Maori Ngapuhi.. Locality. North Cape to Hokianga. Ngatiwhatua and Urio- Manukau, Kaipara, and Waitemata. hau Dr. ALFRED THOMAS BRETT, who exhibited the preserved head of a New Zealander from his museum, explained that the head was formerly in the museum of W. Stuart, Esq., of Aldenham Abbey. It showed very well the marks of extensive tattooing on the face, and also the long black straight hair. The facial angle was good. Dr. Brett wished to ask one or two questions. Had it been observed that the cranium of a Maori was unusually thick? Dr. Brett recollected that a native of New Zealand died in Guy's Hospital of pneumonia in 1849, and the well-developed form of the man was noticed by all, especially the well-formed head. When a post-mortem examination was made, the brain was found not to be so large as the shape of the head would have led one to infer; the space was filled up with an unusual thickness of the walls of the skull: this was so remarkable that a wax model of the brain and of the skull was made by Mr. Towns, and is now in the Anatomical Museum of Guy's Hospital. Professor FLOWER and Professor KEANE also joined in the discussion. [Dr. GARSON has since stated that the Maori skulls in the Royal College of Surgeons' Museum do not, as a rule, present any unusual thickness which might serve as a race-character.] JUNE 9TH, 1885. FRANCIS GALTON, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., President, in the Chair The Minutes of the last meeting were read and signed. The following presents were announced, and thanks voted to the respective donors : FOR THE LIBRARY. From the INDEX SOCIETY.-A List of English Indexes. By Henry B. Wheatley, F.S.A. From the BUFFALO HISTORICAL SOCIETY.-Obsequies of Red Jacket at Buffalo, October 9th, 1884. From the BRITISH ASSOCIATION.-Souvenir of Winnipeg. From the SEC. DE FOMENTO, GUATEMALA.-Informe dirijido al Señor Secretario de Fomento, sobre los trabajos practicados por la Oficina de Estadistica en el año de 1884. From the AUTHOR.--Notes on Prof. E. B. Tylor's "Arabian Some Laws of Phonetic Change in the Khitan Languages. The Khitan Languages: the Aztec and its relations. By Corrigenda and Explanations of the Text of Shakespeare. By Miscellaneous Notes on Deneholes, 1883. By T. Vincent Rapport à M. le Ministre de l'Instruction Publique sur une On the Track of the Crescent. By Major E. C. Johnson, From the ACADEMY.-Atti della Reale Accademia dei Lincei. Serie From the AsSOCIATION.-Journal of the Royal Historical and Archæological Association of Ireland. No. 59. From the ASSOCIATION.-Report of the Fifty-fourth Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science; held at Montreal in August and September, 1884. From the INSTITUTION.―Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall. Vol. VIII, Part 3. Journal of the Royal United Service Institution. From the SOCIETY.-Journal of the Society of Arts. 1698. No. 128. Nos. 1695 June, 1885. Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society. Scientific Transactions of the Royal Dublin Society. Vol. III. From the EDITOR.-Bulletino di Paletnologia Italiana. Anno XI. Matériaux pour l'Historie de L'Homme. May, 1885. Revue d'Ethnographie. 1885, No. 1. "Nature." Nos. 811-814. By permission of the authorities of the Alexandra Palace, a family of Lapps, consisting of three men, two women, and two children, were exhibited, in illustration of Professor Keane's communication. With them were exhibited a dog, sledge, reindeer skins, and other objects of ethnological interest. PRINCE ROLAND BONAPARTE exhibited a very large collection of photographs of Lapps. Mr. P. A. HOLST exhibited three coloured photographs, as samples of a collection of 240, representing all the Russian Empire. NOTE on the LAPPS of FINMARK (in NORWAY), illustrated by Photographs. By H.H. PRINCE ROLAND BONAPARTE. THE following anthropological data were collected during a recent tour of three months in Scandinavia. In the course of my journey I endeavoured to study the Lapps from two points of view-anthropometrically and ethnographically. I need not refer, however, to the ethnographical details, as these are already familiar to most anthropologists, thanks to the writings of Von Düben' and Friis. I shall therefore dwell rather on the anthro 1 G. Von Düben, "Om Lappland och Lapparne, företrädesvis de Svenske." Stockholm, 1873. 2 Friis, "En Semmer i Finmarken, Russisk Lapland og Norkarelen," Kristiania 1880. Friis, "Fra Finmarken," Kristiania, 1881. Friis, "Lappisk Mythologi, Eventyre og Folkesagn," Kristiania, 1871. |