3 23 OSBECK'S VOYAGE. 



other Chinefe, me hangs with all her might 

 about his feet or body, and cries, with an 

 agreeable look, Palata, Senior b , which figni- 

 fies Moneys Sir, and does not loofe her hold 

 till {he has been fatisfied. Some are of Opi- 

 nion that the eating of rice is the occafion of 

 blindnefs. Perhaps it is the effects of the 

 fteam rifing from the hot rice. But why mould 

 not the fame happen in other places of lndia i 

 where the fame food is made ufe of? It may 

 be afcribed to many other caufes. The huf- 

 bandmen, who have a great deal of bufmefs 

 with human dung, may hare their eyes hurt 

 by it. The japanners too may be injured by 

 the flrong varnifh, which affects the eyes 

 Trorfe than horfe-radifh. The flrong fmoak 

 arifing every evening from their perfuming 

 chips, may likewife contribute to it. I once 

 afked a Chinefe about it, and he told me that 

 the waQiing with warm water, which they do 

 every morning, was the caufe of it. But none 

 of the caufes can be confidered as univerfal, 

 for mod of the blind people are, according to 

 the accounts of the Chinefe themfelves, born 

 blind. And in this cafe, the caufe is to be 

 looked for in the mother. 



* From the Spanijh words Plata Scnor. 



Fevers 



