S72 On the State of Medicine in 



they thus render him responsible for its effects. In this country, 

 such a precaution would perhaps only render a patient more 

 liable to be poisoned. Our author next gives us the particulars 

 of a visit to another harem, which are so characteristic of Turk- 

 ish manners, that I cannot refrain from giving the details in the 

 Doctor's own words : — 



'* Like every body else, I felt a strong curiosity to get a peep 

 at the beautiful females annually imported in such numbers from 

 Georgia and Circassia to Constantinople, where they are brought 

 at a very early age to be sold and distributed all over the em- 

 pire, to serve their masters as servants or as mistresses. I was 

 also extremely anxious to witness the domestic arrangements of 

 these little female colonies : fortune was propitious, and soon af-. 

 forded me the desired opportunity. The favourite wife of 

 Kiaja Bey, an officer high in the confidence of the governor of 

 Adrianople, fell sick. The Pascha, who had great confidence 

 in me, recommended my services, which were accepted, and a 

 black eunuch was sent to my quarters to accompany me to the 

 harem. It lay about an English mile from the residence of 

 Kiaja Bey ; we first knocked at a small wicket, which was 

 opened, and on entering, we found ourselves in a garden, taste- 

 fully ornamented, and containing a light and airy summer-house, 

 near which the cooling waters of a fountain played into a beauti- 

 ful basin of white marble. I was directed to seat myself near 

 the fountain, and was immediately served with a pipe and coffee, 

 while preparations were made in the harem for my reception. In 

 a quarter of an hour, I was conducted through the garden to 

 another door, which was opened by a female covered with a veil, 

 who, it seems, was the guardian and turnkey * of the harem. I 

 was now led through another garden to the building of the 

 women, which was evidently very populous, and I could dis- 

 tinguish the curious faces of children and slaves, white and 

 black, peeping at me in every direction. At last the door of 

 the sick lady's room was opened, and I entered into a very 

 handsome but small apartment, with closed blinds and hung 

 in red. The patient lay on pillows, placed on the carpet near 

 the divan, and was so entirely covered from head to toe with 



• Tbis is not exactly the word used by Dr Oppenheim — it seems, hov^-. 

 ever, appropriate. 



