TIIIRTV-FIVE YEARS IN THE EAST. 149 



the disease rajjed passed rapidly away ; and, but for the 

 horrible suffering which its longer duration would have en- 

 tailed upon its victims, I could almost have wished, for the 

 interest of mankind, that my opportunities of observation had 

 been still further extended, in order to enable me to arrive 

 at results which might have been more prolific of benefit to 

 suffering humanity. For instance, I began, during the 

 decrease of the cholera, namely, during the last three weeks, 

 to try the effect of galvano-electric rings as a preventative. 

 I caused a few hundreds to be made, some of copper and 

 zinc, and others of silver and zinc, which I distributed gratis, 

 and observed, that whilst some of those who wore the rings 

 of copper and zinc fell victims to the disease, those who 

 were the silver and zinc rings were all saved. It is true, that 

 some of the latter became infected with the disease, but the 

 attacks were of so slight a nature that, in my opinion, 

 they would have recovered without any medical assistance. 

 But I must repeat, that this was only at the time when 

 the disease was already on the decline; and since that period, 

 I have had no other opportunity of making further 

 observations in that country ; consequently, I cannot assert 

 that this preventative is infallible. However, to ascertain still 

 further the value of these rings for the purpose indicated, 

 1 ordered some hundreds of them to be made during my 

 stay at Vienna, in the autumn of 1850, at the period when 

 that Asiatic guest took up its residence in that capital. I 

 presented them gratuitously to many persons, and I have 

 not heard of a single fatal attack attending the wearers. 

 Many medical men and others expressed their opinions upon 

 the subject, and thought the idea a ridiculous one ; but the 

 future will show whether I am mistaken or otherwise. Some 

 of the wearers of these rings at Lahore stated that they 

 diffused warmth in the finger on which they were worn, in 

 fact I observed a sort of rash to break out on the part on 

 which they wore the rings, and they were obliged to discon- 

 tinue wearing them for a few days, or place them on the 

 other hand. One ring is quite sufficient for one person 

 although the wearing of several would do no harm. Bracelets 



