XXll 



renders one insusceptible to a succeeding attack, acting Wke vaccine against 

 smallpox.' It may be well to remark here that a popular Persian remedy 

 against the Ar<jas bite is to roll in a piece of sweetmeat, or otherwise a bug, 

 and administer it when the recipient is about to go on a journey where he 

 is likely to come across them. He goes on to say; — 'At all events, the 

 symptoms produced by the bite of the Argas of Miana are strikingly similar 

 to those of remittent fever — extreme lassitude, loss of appetite, disgust with 

 one's work, producing yawning, with great heat and partial perspiration, but 

 little thirst, dissatisfaction and soothing sensations at certain hours of the 

 day.' 



" These symptoms have been attributed to malarial fever to which 

 strangers would be subject, while the natives would be spared ; but the 

 natives do not present that appearance of being subject to Paludian fevers 

 which natives inhabiting malarially disposed places bear. At Shahroud, 

 Miana, Mazrah,Kashan,&c., where the Argas exists, malarial fever is scarcely 

 known, which is quite enough to show that the symptoms above described 

 are produced by the bite of the Argas itself. A victim of the latter thus 

 describes his sufferings: — 'Tlie first day I perceived several small punc- 

 tures ; second day, black spots replaced the punctures, delirium ensuing, 

 white matter oozing from the punctures ; delirium followed by intermittent 

 fever. Ipecacuanha and quinine, in large doses, administered without effect ; 

 patient given up hy doctors ; finally, bitter decoction of pomegranate peel 

 completely cured patient.' Another popular remedy of the Persians is to 

 administer copious draughts of milk, then to tie patient into a kind of netting 

 to a tree, and keep turning net round, letting it unwind of its own accord. 

 This treatment produces violent vomitting, and ninety-nine patients out of 

 a hundred die through it. 



" Maurice Kotzebue, who is quoted by M. Fischer, mentions two cases ; 

 in the first the patient experienced throughout his body a violent heat, and 

 was prostrated into a sort of delirium, expiring shortly in dreadful con- 

 vulsions. The second case was communicated to him by Col. Baron Wrede, 

 Piussian Minister at Teheran. He arrived at Miana late in the season, 

 and, fancying himself free on that account, passed a night there, but took 

 the precaution to keep a candle lighted all night. He himself was not 

 bitten ; but one of his retinue, a Cossack, had a black spot on his foot, 

 had delirium, and was prostrated in a violent access of madness. The 

 natives advised the usual remedy — to kill a cow and wrap the poisoned 

 limb in its warm hide. But this expedient proved fruitless. As a rule, 

 this treatment is said to be attended with success, but the poor Cossack 

 died soon after in fearful agony. Should this latter treatment prove 

 successful it is necessary to adopt a strict diet of sugar and water and 

 honey for at least forty days ; meat and alcoholic drinks must be totally 

 abstained from. 



