S6 THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE EAST. 



her bat a few days from the same complaint. The house 

 of the deceased was immediately shut up. At that time 

 the quarantine establishments at Constantinople were 

 still in their original state of organisation, ray small house 

 therefore remained free, and luckily it was not infected 

 with the plague. The circumstance of my not being 

 myself affected by it — neither had I conveyed it to my 

 household — induced me to believe that I had not any 

 disposition to be attacked by that pestilential disease. 

 I was also of opinion that the plague was not contagious. 

 In order to have some experience in this matter, I tendered 

 my services at once to the plague-hospital at Pera, where 

 the poor patients were left to their fate, as no medical 

 assistance or any other aid was to be had. Without any 

 authority or permission, I attended them at my own ex- 

 pense. I proceeded, to the satisfaction of all the attendants 

 and patients, to treat the infected according to the homoeo- 

 pathic principle, and my endeavours were mostly crowned 

 with success. All this, effected by the most simple treat- 

 ment, did not fail to procure me, in a very short time, a 

 great reputation ; so that, after the extinction of the plague, 

 and the abolition of all quarantine, I was in great request 

 among the most respectable private families. But, before I 

 proceed to prove the efficacy of the minute doses of homcEO- 

 pathic medicines, I must first speak of a special remedy, 

 which proved very efficacious, employed as a prophylactic 

 or curative ; and, I dare to say, with respect to the plague, 

 it might be considered as a specific. 



During my stay at Constantinople I frequently had an 

 opportunity of making the observation that many indivi- 

 duals, especially Armenians, wore a string, to which was 

 attached a bean, called Strychnos Faba St. Ignatii, as a 

 preventive against the plague. Having been informed that 

 this bean was acknowledged to be an effective one, I ad- 

 ministered it in minute doses, as a medicine, and that with 

 the best success. The particulars will be mentioned in the 

 course of this work. 



Among the above-mentioned private bouses in which 



