1918-19.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 341 



state he at once rushed to the rescue, and, as no one would 

 stop a moment to help, he managed to get the wounded 

 man upon his back and carried him for about half a mile 

 until he reached a waggon, when he collapsed himself. 

 Watson and the officer he had rescued were both taken to 

 the hospital within the fort at Agra, and at first it was 

 thought that Dr. Watson's wound was much more serious 

 than that of the other man; but the officer died, and Watson 

 survived to live a life of much usefulness. 



Dr. Watson married in 1867, and, accompanied by his 

 wife, went out to India, and from 1867 to 1883 resided princi- 

 pally at Almora and Naini Tal. At Almora, the capital of 

 the province of Kumaon, Dr. Watson had medical charge 

 of the leper hospital for about ten years. He had great 

 opportunities, and gained great experience in connection 

 with the treatment of this disease. 



He was a man possessed of the greatest possible amount 

 of bravery, and, while very retiring and modest in his 

 disposition, he would at times narrate to intimate friends 

 some of his experiences. 



While stationed at Almora, the Medical Department of 

 the Government of India gave instructions that the lepers 

 were to be treated with gurjun oil, and that it was to be 

 administered in doses to be taken internally, and also that 

 the diseased portions of the lepers' bodies were to be 

 anointed with this new supposed specific. Dr. Watson, 

 with a deep sense of duty, endeavoured to carry out the 

 instructions of the Government Department ; but he soon 

 found out that, while there was no great difficulty in 

 getting the native medical assistants to administer the oil 

 for internal purposes, the patients themselves were not 

 quite so amenable, as the taste of the oil was objectionable 

 and its effects were upsetting. The native assistants also 

 declined point-blank to anoint the wounds of the lepers, 

 and in many cases Dr. Watson had to do it himself at the 

 great risk of inoculation. This treatment was carried on 

 for about eighteen months, and, as the ' results were very 

 far from satisfactory and the inconvenience to the patients 

 very great. Dr. Watson reported so to the Department. 

 All he got in reply was a letter expressing dissatisfaction 

 that his efibrts had obtained such a poor result, and re- 



