xviii INTRODUCTION. 



Government in India, which is now at mnch expense, 

 in importing costly medicines, for the use of the 

 troops, &c., an expense which might be almost en- 

 tirely avoided, if the physicians there were ac- 

 quainted with the properties of the native plants 

 and drugs. 



When I went to Lahore the second time, I was, 

 as before, appointed Physician to the Court, and 

 also Superintendent of the gunpowder-mill and gun- 

 manufactory. The Dar-iil-Shefa ( hospital ) in the 

 city, was under the direction of two brothers, 

 Azeez-oo-Deen and Noor-oo-Deen, both rich faqueers, 

 and the government paid for the medicines which 

 were daily distributed there ; but, although I/nade 

 some experiments on my new system, at my own 

 expense, yet, my opportunities were very limited, 

 as it was not within my province to attend the 

 Dar-ul-Shefa of the faqueers. When the English 

 came, however, they shut up the gun and powder 

 manufactories, and ordered the Durbar to erect a 

 public hospital outside the city. The management 

 of this establishment was entrusted to me, and I 

 then obtained the long-desired opportunity of con- 

 tinuing my experiments, uncontrolled, in the new 

 method of treatment, and on a large scale, until 

 the annexation of the country, in May 1849 ; the 

 results of which surpassed my most sanguine antici- 

 pations. 



My waiting-room was constantly filled vvith 

 patients, attracted not only by the inviting appear- 

 ance and sweet taste of the medicines ( lozenges ), 

 and the ( to them ) pretty wooden boxes in which 

 they were delivered ; but also, by the efficacy 

 which they found these bonbons to possess. The 



