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A further brief note on <i>sik muruk</i>, from Michael Alpers (ex
Director, PNG Institute of Medical Research, and with many many years of
medical research experience in PNG under his belt; now at Curtin, West
Australia). He says: <br>
<br>
<font face="arial" size=2 color="#0000FF">"I have certainly heard it
and used it occasionally; I do not know its origin.... the term was used
more widely than in the Sepik.... These days, of course, one is
more likely to use 'epilepsi' ..."<br><br>
</font>Michael also reports another tok pisin medical term that is new to
me (and not in Mihalic that I can see): <br><br>
<font face="arial" size=2 color="#0000FF">"measles is <b><i>sik
pinat</i></b>; I don't know why.</font> " (and again he notes that
today <i>misels </i>is more common). <br><br>
Does anyone else record having heard/used this term? <br><br>
Incidentally neither term is used in Ed Tscharke's 300 page plus handbook
(in <i>tok pisin</i> though of a rather technical kind):<br>
n.d. (1952?). <b>Medical Handbook for New Guinea's Native Medical
Assistants </b>(<b><i>Buk Bilong Helpim Wok Doctor long New
Guinea</i></b>). Karkar Island, Madang, Privately duplicated, Lutheran
Mission Hospital, Karkar Island. He stays with <i>epilepsi </i>and
<i>misels.<br><br>
<br>
</i>Robin Hide<br><br>
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