s but little over a yard at the
shoulder, and is the most diminutive of all wild cattle. It is nearly
allied to the larger Asiatic buffaloes, showing the same reversal of the
direction of the hair on the back. The horns are peculiar for their
upright direction and comparative straightness, although they have the
same triangular section as in other buffaloes. White spots are sometimes
present below the eyes, and there may be white markings on the legs and
back; and the absence or presence of these white markings may be
indicative of distinct races. The horns of the cows are very small. The
nearest allies of the anoa appear to be certain extinct buffaloes, of
which the remains are found in the Siwalik Hills of northern India. In
habits the animal appears to resemble the Indian buffalo.

ANODYNE (from Gr. [Greek: an-], privative, and [Greek: odune], pain), a
cause which relieves pain. The term is commonly applied to medicines
which lessen the sensibility of the brain or nervous system, such as
morphia, &c.

ANOINTING, or greasing with oil, fat, or melted butter, a process
employed ritually in all religions and among all races, civilized or
savage, partly as a mode of ridding persons and things of dangerous
influences and diseases, especially of the demons (Persian _drug_, Greek
[Greek: keres], Armenian _dev_) which are or cause those diseases; and
partly as a means of introducing into things and persons a sacramental
or divine influence, a holy emanation, spirit or power. The riddance of
an evil influence is often synonymous with the introduction of the good
principle, and therefore it is best to consider first the use of
anointing in consecrations.

The Australian natives believed that the virtues of one killed could be
transferred to survivors if the latter rubbed themselves with his
caul-fat. So the Arabs of East Africa anoint themselves with lion's fat
in order to gain courage and inspire the animals with awe of themselves.
Such rites are often associated with the actual eating of the victim
whose virtues are coveted. Human fat is a powerful charm all over the
world; for, as R. Smith points out, after the blood the fat was
peculiarly the vehicle and seat of life. This is why fat of a victim was
smeared on a sacred stone, not only in acts of homage paid to it, but in
the actual consecration thereof. In such cases the influence of the god,
communicated to the victim, passed with the unguent into the stone.