Johan Turi's Medical Knowledge

An Account of the Sami p. 130

Bleeding

“Bleeding is dangerous when there is no doctor available. There are some people who can stanch blood simply by hearing about the situation, but they are not many in number. And if they can physically see the sick person, then they are more likely to be successful in stopping the bleeding. Among the Sámi such bleeding can be a very serious problem when a woman hemorrhages during childbirth, and she bleeds so badly that she dies, and quickly. And such blood stanchers can control or stop this kind of bleeding, too.

There is a further treatment for hemorrhage during childbirth. There is a little bird called beskkoš [the house martin; Delichon urbica] which builds its nest attached to the walls of a farm building. And one must take some of the litter from inside such a nest and boil it in milk and give that to the woman in labor to drink. And that helps even if one doesn’t know any charm to go with it; but it is certainly better if one recites a charm.

With the power of words one can heal many ailments. But there are not many people around who know how to heal in the manner described above.”

Muitalus sámiid birra p. 130

Varragolgamii

Varragolgan lea váralaš go eai leat doaktárat olamearis. Muhto gávdnojit gal dakkárat, ahte go ožžot gullat, de juo bisána varra golgamis, muhto eai dakkárat leat olu. Muhto go besset oaidnit, de lea vissáseabbu vara bisáneapmái. Ja sámiin lea váralaš ‒ dalle maiddá [sáhttá] golgat badjel meari ‒ go nisu lea mánnáseaŋggas, ja golgá nu nai ahte jápmá ja hoahpus. Ja dan maiddá varradollejeaddjit sáhttet dollet dahje bisánahttit.

Okta goansta lea seaŋganissona varragolgamuššii. Lea unna lottáš, man namma lea beskkoš, mii dahká beasi dáluid seaidnái, ja de galgá váldit dan beasi vuođus roskkiid ja vuoššat varas milkkiin, ja dan addit juhkat seaŋganissonii. Ja dat ábuha, vaikko ii dieđe maidege sániid, muhto gal dat lea buoret, go dieđášii sániid.

Ja sáni vuoimmis buoridit olu sorttat vigiid. Muhto eai leat olu dakkárat, mat máhttet dahkat daid goansttaid, mat leat ovdalis muitaluvvon.

Sami text screenshot

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