INDIA 187 
change of altitude and temperature did not agree with him. In 
the steamy heat of Calcutta, where he had spent the whole of his 
life, his numerous endoparasites lived in harmony with their host, 
but now the delicate balance was upset, and he complained of 
being unwell. In a wave of self-pity he wrote to his family, telling 
them of his ailments. To his surprise his wife and other relations 
arrived out of the blue a few days later, though he was actively 
engaged in cooking and probably only had a slight attack of 
malaria, for which I was treating him with quinine. However, 
the arrival of the family could only portend one thing—it was 
akin to reading the last sacraments. The psychological effect was 
almost immediate. By noon he complained of illness and said to 
me, while holding his stomach, “God plenty trouble is giving.” 
He retired to bed in his hut closely attended by the family, and 
our own cooking that night was left to Delys. About 9 p.m. one of 
the family burst into the bungalow in a panic saying that the old 
man was dying. I went immediately to see him and found the 
family encircling the prostrate figure, screaming like lunatics and 
shaking the old man violently. This was presumably to keep him 
awake so that his soul could not leave his body. The situation 
called for firm handling regardless of custom, so I chased the 
lot outside. 
It was evident that he had a temperature and was slightly de- 
lirious—a state brought on largely by the treatment and the 
ignorance of his own relations. To soothe his tormented mind I 
gave him a good tot of whiskey and some more quinine, and for- 
bade anyone to interfere with his sleep. 
To my astonishment he entered the house the following morn- 
ing, serving tea at the usual hour—6 a.m.—apparently quite well. 
But this was too good to last. His relations showed no desire to 
leave, and their presence was too much for him: he sickened 
again. Not having the time, or facilities, to cope with such a situa- 
tion indefinitely, I arranged for him to go to the hospital at Kur- 
seong, where he was accompanied by his relatives, who thrust 
themselves on him on every possible occasion, the effect of which, 
it seemed, was one of hopelessness from the cook’s point of view. 
Their presence must mean that the end was near. It was, for with- 
in a few days he passed away. This was sad, for he was a likable 
