124 On the State of Medicine in 



med's miraculous cures having been wrought by the direct ap- 

 plication of saliva. 



Agite, — Ague, in all its forms, is common in Turkey ; in the 

 Asiatic provinces it is universally believed to be the result of de- 

 moniacal possession, and exorcism is considered the surest reme- 

 dy ; but in the European provinces and chief towns, sulphate of 

 quinine is preferred. 



A popular medicine, which Dr Oppenheim has often seen ef- 

 fectual, is the following : — Half an ounce of fresh roasted coffee 

 is infused with two ounces of hot water, and is afterwards mix- 

 ed with an equal quantity of lemon juice. This dose is taken 

 warm during the intermission. Her GueinhiecJc zitmai, zitmai 

 muesellesse, and zitmayi rib, are the names given to quotidian, 

 tertian, and quartan. Gout (wedjai mefassel,) and rheumatism 

 (nikj'is) are also attributed to demoniacal possession, but, luckily, 

 in these cases, the physical means employed to expel the evil 

 spirit, such as pinching, kneading, and pummelling the patient''s 

 flesh, stretching his limbs, cracking his joints, together with the 

 warm bath, &c., often act extremely well, and promote a real 

 cure. 



Gout not common in Turkey, — Gout is not near so common 

 in Turkey as in other European states, and the physicians 

 employ for its cure no remedy but the warm bath. Hippocrates, 

 in his Aphorisms, asserts, that eunuchs are never attacked with 

 gout ; but Dr Oppenheim says, that he never witnessed so pain- 

 ful and violent an attack of podagra, as he saw in an eunuch, a 

 water drinker, and eschewer of opium to boot ; in fact, a per- 

 fect model of sobriety, temperance and chastity ! 



Erysipelas in Turkey, — It is curious enough, that the treat- 

 ment of erysipelas by stimulants, such as the nitrate of silver, 

 blisters, &c., lately introduced into British practice, is employed 

 also by the Turkish common people, who, however, use a stimu- 

 lant of a different nature, viz. heat. Some spread a silk hand- 

 kerchief tightly over the affected part, and cover it with very 

 porous shreds of cotton, which they set fire to ; they are con- 

 sumed, but the handkerchief escapes*, and during the combus- 

 tion of the wool, a sensation of heat and pain is felt in the 



• On the same principle that a WJd coal, placed on][a handkerchief, stretch- 

 ed over a poker, does not burn the handkerchief. 



