In Australia, the traditional tribal Aboriginal method of cursing someone is to point the bone at them, a form of ritual execution by curse.

A graphic description of the effects on bone pointing is given in Dr. Herbert Basedow's book "The Australian Aboriginal," published in 1925:

A man who discovers that he is being boned by an enemy is, indeed, a pitiable sight. He stands aghast, with his eyes staring at the treacherous pointer, and with his hands lifted as though to ward off the lethal medium, which he imagines is pouring into his body. His cheeks blanch and his eyes become glassy, and the expression on his face becomes horribly distorted...He attempts to shriek, but usually the sound chokes in his throat, and all one might see is froth at his mouth. His body begins to tremble and the muscles twist involuntarily. He sways backwards and falls to the ground, and for a short time appears to be in a swoon; but soon after he begins to writhe as if in mortal agony, and covering his face with his hands, begin [sic] to moan. After a while he becomes more composed and crawls to his wurley (hut). From this time onwards he sickens and frets, refusing to eat, and keeping aloof from the daily affairs of the tribe. Unless help is forthcoming in the shape of a counter-charm, administered by the hands of the "Nangarri," or medicine-man, his death is only a matter of a comparatively short time. If the coming of the medicine-man is opportune, he might be saved.

That a hex, spell, or curse can rate such physiological disorders is mystery enough. Even more puzzling are cases of death in which medical examination reveals no evidence of either reduced blood pressure or an abnormal accumulation of red blood cells. One example is that a Dr. P.S . Clarke, concerning a Kanaka tribesman in North Queensland, Australia, who said that he was going to die soon because a spell had been put on him. The doctor's examinations revealed no medical problems, but a few days later the man was dead.

I mention this for two reasons, one, because this is a cursing thread, and two, because our prime minister has just had the bone pointed at him by an aboriginal woman in Victoria (see next thread for details!). many australians will anxiously be awaiting the outcomes!