[expand]The spiritual cleansing used smoke. The fumigation of people and spaces—the belief that smoke removed spiritual contamination, the purifying effect being religious rather than merely hygienic, and the smoke being essential element in cleansing ceremonies—created religious smoke use. The purification technique was formalized—the specific herbs being used, the ceremonial actions accompanying fumigation, and the prayers being recited—distinguishing spiritual from merely medical smoking. The purification occasions included birth—the fumigation of mother and child, the spiritual protection being invoked, and the smoke supposedly preventing spiritual contamination—and death—the fumigation of deceased and mourners, the spiritual transition being facilitated, and the contamination from death being removed through smoke.
The dwelling fumigation prevented illness. The periodic smoke treatment of yurt interior—the burning herbs being carried through space, the smoke filling dwelling, and the belief that disease-causing spirits were expelled—created preventive public health practice. The fumigation timing was strategic—the spring cleaning included fumigation, the post-illness fumigation supposedly preventing recurrence, and the routine fumigation being periodic maintenance—demonstrating that prevention was recognized distinct from treatment. The fumigation effectiveness was debatable—the insect repelling was real benefit, the psychological comfort was substantial, and the actual disease prevention was uncertain—but multi-benefit outcome justified practice regardless of which mechanisms were actually effective.
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