1. An example of a diagnosis of a stepping over illness was observed at the home of a faith healer. A man of 22 consulted the faith healer complaining of feeling tired all the time, having headaches and being unable to find a job. He had already been to the hospital and stated that they had told him there was nothing wrong with him. The faith healer prayed and then informed the patient that one of his previous girlfriends had practised sorcery on him by giving him a stepping over illness. As a result a ‘ball of evil’ had entered his body through his foot and travelled up to his abdomen. She explained that the ball was currently rising up to his head and creating his current symptoms as well as preventing his success. The faith healer offered to prepare some medicines to remove the ball and the man agreed to return the following day to collect the medicines.
2. Observation of a consultation between a 48-year-old woman and a faith healer illustrates a diagnosis of an eating illness. The patient complained of feeling tired, having pains in her chest and losing weight. The woman's mood was anxious and her manner self-effacing. She explained that she had recently been admitted to the hospital. (Later examination of her hospital notes showed that she had been treated for gastritis and had a negative TB test.) Soon after discharge the symptoms had reappeared along with tiredness, loss of energy and she also felt that her relationship with her husband was deteriorating. The faith healer prayed at length and then explained that the symptoms were caused by sorcery. Someone had given her an eating illness but she was unable to name the person responsible. The illness had stopped in her chest and caused chest pains as well as producing a special dust that made her skin wrinkled. The faith healer advised that she should move in to the faith healers home for treatment. The patient decided to consult a diviner before making a decision. The patient returned to the faith healer after receiving confirmation that the illness was caused by sorcery. After five days of treatment, involving prayers, anointing with holy water and taking oral herbal medicines, the symptoms improved and the patient went home satisfied with the treatment and looking more relaxed and self confident.
3. The mother of a 17-year-old boy, who was admitted to hospital with a psychotic illness, explained how the family had consulted a faith healer about her son's symptoms of increasing withdrawal, incoherent speech and strange posture. The woman described how the faith healer had gone into a trance and taken the illness of the boy into her own body. The faith healer told the family that the illness was caused by a witch who had sent a familiar to harm the boy. However the faith healer had tired before she could gather further information and another meeting with the faith healer was therefore arranged. The son's behaviour had then become increasingly aggressive and unmanageable. The family had therefore brought him to hospital but planned to return to the faith healer when he was discharged.
4. A Zulu man explained that in the past the chief would have had such a person put to death by pushing a pole into his rectum.
5. This was illustrated during the observation of a home visit by the hospital nurse to the family of a 17 year old male patient with a psychotic illness probably schizophrenia. Family members repeatedly looked and gestured towards the rafters whilst discussing the role of their ancestors in managing the situation.