[Mihalic] sik muruk AND sik pinat

[Robin Hide]

A further brief note on sik muruk, 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:

"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' ..."

Michael also reports another tok pisin medical term that is new to me (and 
not in Mihalic that I can see):

"measles is sik pinat; I don't know why. " (and again he notes that today 
misels is more common).

Does anyone else record having heard/used this term?

Incidentally neither term is used in Ed Tscharke's 300 page plus handbook 
(in tok pisin though of a rather technical kind):
n.d. (1952?). Medical Handbook for New Guinea's Native Medical Assistants 
(Buk Bilong Helpim Wok Doctor long New Guinea). Karkar Island, Madang, 
Privately duplicated, Lutheran Mission Hospital, Karkar Island. He stays 
with epilepsi and misels.


Robin Hide






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