8° SINAI PARK 
September, and October. It was not to take place in time of harvest, 
in Advent, or Lent, or on the three following feasts of Christmas, 
Easter, or Pentecost. ‘Thecommunity were operated upon in batches 
of from two to six at a time, and the special day was arranged for 
them by the Superior in Chapter, who would announce at the proper 
time “that those who sat at this or that table were to be blooded.” 
In settling the turns, consideration had of course to be paid to the 
needs of the community. The weekly server for example, and the reader 
and the hebdomadary of the community mass were not to be operated 
upon during the period of their services; and when a feast day was 
to be kept within four days of the blood-letting, only those were to 
be practiced on who could be spared from the singing and serving 
at the necessary ecclesiastical functions of the feast. 
From first to last the operation of blood-letting occupied four 
days, and the process was simple. At the time appointed the 
infirmarian had a fire lighted in the Calafactory if it were needed, 
and thither, between Tierce and Sext, if the day was not a fast, or 
between Sext and Nones if it were, the operator and his victimg 
repaired. If the latter desired to fortify themselves against the 
lancet they might proceed beforehand to the Frater and take some- 
thing to eat and drink. During the time of healing, after the 
styptic had been applied and the bandages fastened, the discipline 
of the Cloister was somewhat mitigated. The patient for instance 
could always spend the hours of work and reading in repose—either 
lying on his bed or sitting in the Chapter House or Cloister as he 
felt disposed. Till his return to full choir work he was not to 
be bound to any duty. If he was an obedientiary or official he was 
to get some one to see to his necessary duties for him during the 
time of his convalescence. If he liked to go to the Hours in choir he 
was to sit ; he was never to bend down or to do penance of any kind 
for fear of displacing the bandages, and he was to go out of the 
Church before the others, for fear of having his arm rubbed if he were 
to walk in the ranks. During the three days of his convalescence he 
said his Compline at night in the Chapter House or elsewhere, and 
then went straight to bed before the community. Though he had 
still to rise for Matins with the others, after a brief visit to the church 
he was allowed to betake himself to the infirmary, and there to say a 
much shortened form of night office with the infirmarian and others. 
When this was done he was to return at once to bed. In the Frater 
the Monk who had been ‘‘ blooded” received the same food as the 
