1831.] The Cholera. 121 



that the fewer the people the more the room ; an odd way of arriving at 

 a philosophical discovery after all. But the Chinese argues better still, 

 and gives an example which must throw all the Lord JNlayor's placards 

 into utter despair : — i 



" He referred to the present Emperor of China, declaring that Pekin owed its 

 exemption from the disease solely to the firmness of his Imperial Majest}% who 

 was pleased to say to those about him, ' Do not suppose that the disorder is 

 more powerful than yourselves ; the pusillanimous alone die of it.' From that 

 moment they all took courage, and nothing was left for the disease but to quit 

 the capital." 



The disease was quite in the right ; it found itself discountenanced 

 at court, and disdaining to be a sinecurist, took its leave. But the 

 Chinese had another case in point, and we think that the tail cholera 

 deserves a paper by Davies Gilbert, in the archives of the Royal 

 Society. 



" I relate to you another case, which occurred in the year 1070. A disease 

 broke out at Pekin of a peculiar character, for it affected the tails of those who 

 quitted tlieir houses and abode in the open air. In a sliort time it consumed 

 half the tail ; and the immediate death of the owner was the consequence. 

 When this was reported to the then reigning Emperor, Tschang-Lung, he de- 

 clared, emphatically, that he would not hear any thing of such a disorder. This 

 his supreme will, expressed with firmness, and thereupon made public, had 

 such an efl'ect on the malady, that it left Pekin forthwith. While the dzar- 

 gutschey was detailing these circumstances, he fixed his eyes intently on the 

 director, and, perceiving in his looks a certain distrust of his statements, he 

 added, with a smile : ' You must believe, at any rate, that fear enervates the 

 mind, and that the latter has a decisive influence on the body. Whether you 

 believe my story or not, we must listen without terror to the report of the dis- 

 ease at Dukuchoton, and then it will positively not visit us.' This was in the 

 summer of 1827 : the disease actually proceeded no further in that direction." 



There may be sceptical persons in the world, who will be disposed to 

 doubt. But Dr. Riecke, the learned German, who now figures at the 

 head of tlie anti-cholerists, is ready to pledge himself for the fact, in 

 any way that may become a gentleman, a doctor, and, above all, a tra- 

 veller of the first dimensions. 



Apropos, now that we are upon the subject of orientals. A Scotch 

 dentist has just advertised the discovery of a species of artificial palate, 

 made of the inner coats of a muscle of gigantic size, found in the Mo- 

 luccas. It has the advantage of enduring wear and tear of any dura- 

 tion or degree ; is not affected by any quantity of arrack punch, how- 

 ever strong in the spirit, or glowing in the mixture, and has already 

 withstood the whole winter's dinners of a select club of members of 

 parliament, at the west end, which all who know the world, must know 

 to be a much better test than even a round of corporation dinners. 



In return, another dentist offers a superb equivalent to the Persian 

 Sofi. A Scotch paper says : — 



"Messrs. Cracour, the eminent dentists, are now on a professional visit to 

 Scotland. They have just completed a set of pearl tcelh for the Emperor of 

 J'ersia, which they invite the nobility, gentry, and gentlemen of the faculty to 

 inspect at their apartments, previous to its being sent off for the I'ersiau mo- 

 narch. IVe bfliove this is the only set of teeth ever made in Europe for the same 

 illustrious personage." 



"We believe so too. 



