Antall József szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 82. (Budapest, 1977)

KISEBB KÖZLEMÉNYEK — ELŐADÁSOK - Bosnyák Sándor: A nevetlen ujj

European languages do not have an equivalent for „nevetlen ujj" (no-name-finger). It can be found in the Altaic languages, in Chinese, Tibetan and Hindustani. At peoples where the expression is preserved, mythical ideas related to the finger are living, too. The Estonians e. g., let blood from their theird finger at the festival of the god Taara. The Christian Church guards also the thousand years old tradition in the wedding ceremony. It is the no-name-fmger that the ring is put on. The Church accepted St. Isidor's doctrine who said that a direct vein leads from this finger to the heart. According to the doctrines of astrology and chiromancy the heavenly body connected analogically with the no-name-finger is the Sun, its metal is gold, its colour is purple, its sound is the sound "ts". From among the inner organs, its analogical equivalent is the heart. Through the mediation of St. Isidor, this latter analogy entered into the Christian world of ideas, too. The ring on the fourth finger connects man with the heart inside and the Sun outside. The no-name-finger is the finger of the heart and the Sun. With the help of the power of the heart and the Sun the healer heals and the shaman hunts away the powers of darkness. S. BOSNYÁK Librarian Budapest, Árpád út 83. Hungary, H1042