164 THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE EAST, 



of it. It would, perhaps, be worth while to try the effect 

 of rubbing the body with warm oil, either with or without 

 the administration of the bark of the thorn-apple, or China- 

 root, &c., in cases of intoxication, or poisoning by opium. 

 The following experiment by Magendie proves that narcotin 

 may produce different effects, according to the different com- 

 binations in which it is administered. One grain of narcotin, 

 dissolved in olive oil, killed a dog in twenty-four hours, 

 but 24 grains, dissolved in acetic acid, were administered 

 to another without any prejudicial effect. In its natural 

 state it is still less energetic, and 129 grains did not do the 

 least harm. From these experiments, it may be conceived 

 how easily medical skill may be baffled by the combination 

 of the drug with oil, as in the case of the lady whose 

 suicide I have already mentioned, I cited a receipt of a- 

 Kashgar physician, and another taken from a Persian book, 

 and I could cite a still greater number of similar receipts, 

 which however, are all possessed of some peculiarity or 

 oddity. It is true, that we cannot deny the utility of some, 

 but most of them are of such a nature, that it is scarcely 

 conceivable how the human brain could invent such ridi- 

 culous imaginations. The following may serve as an ex- 

 ample of Persian wisdom, and I mention it for the benefit 

 of our accoucheurs, who may make use of it if they choose. 

 It is nothing less than a method of replacing an abortion 

 of two months, and of carrying it to maturity. For that 

 purpose they say, the embryo must be wrapped in some 

 raw yellow silk, bestrewed with sugar and semen sisymbrii 

 irzonzs, and then swallowed by a wife or girl, which will 

 produce the desired result. It is quite indifferent whether 

 it is swallowed by the mother or any other female, only that 

 when a girl is to undergo this operation she must be of 

 the age of puberty. When the child is born, it will come 

 forth with the silk on its feet! I hope the reader will feel 

 much edified at the recital of this new revelation of medical 

 science ; but we m ist remember that this outrageous opera- 

 tion is described in a dingy manuscript of very ancient 

 date. But what shall we say when, in the year of grace 



