medicine man 的詞源

"原住民北美巫師"，最早見於1801年，源於當地語言中採用 medicine 這個詞，意爲"魔力影響； 被認爲具有治療、超自然或神祕力量的東西"。他們稱美加邊界爲 Medicine Line（1880年有記錄），因爲它提供了一種魔法保護：在邊界一側犯罪的懲罰可以通過越過邊界來避免。類似於中古英語中 medicine 的次要意義，即"道德、心理或社會療法； 保護、防禦"。

Unless some understanding is arrived at between the American and Canadian Governments that offenders may be promptly and vigorously dealt with, I very much fear that killing and stealing will increase to such an extent that the country along the border will be scarcely habitable. When the Indians are made to understand that the mere fact of "hopping" across the line does not exempt them from punishment, there will be a much greater guarantee of their good behaviour. Now they call the boundary the "Medicine line," because no matter what they have done upon one side they feel perfectly secure after having arrived upon the other. [Report of Superintendent L.N.F. Crozier, Dec. 1880, in "North-West Mounted Police Force Commissioner's Report," 1880]

除非美國和加拿大政府達成某種諒解，以便能夠迅速而有力地處理罪犯，否則我非常擔心殺人和偷盜會增加到難以居住的程度。當印第安人明白了跨越邊界並不意味着他們可以免於懲罰時，他們的行爲將更有保障。現在他們稱邊界爲"醫療線"，因爲無論他們在一側做了什麼，到了另一側後就感到完全安全。[L.N.F. Crozier 主管的報告，1880年12月，收錄於"西北騎警隊長的報告，1880年"]

因此， medicine bag 也指"袋子，裏面裝有被認爲具有治療或魔力的物品，由北美土著人佩戴"（1802年）。