1 83 THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE EAST. 



attendance, I was not only compelled to expend the 

 whole of the day in distributing medicaments, which were 

 administered in the form of lozenges, but was also oblige'^ 

 to devote my evenings to the preparation of those which 

 were to be used on the day following. In fact, it frequent- 

 ly happened that whole families came from some of the 

 more distant villages, and bringing their provision with 

 them, they encamped in my garden, and remained there 

 for two or three days, uutil I was able to furnish them 

 with the requisite medicines and advice, 



I was, however, to a great exten*:, repaid for the labour 

 to which I was thus subjected, by being able to make 

 many experiments, and thus practically convince myself of 

 the medicinal efficacy of the plants and drugs of Cashmere, 

 which were those I principally tried there. I had also the 

 opportunity of introdiscing operations which had been 

 hitherto unknown in that country ; as for instance, tapping 

 in a case of dropsy, which I performed in the presence of 

 the maharajah and several others, who were completely 

 amazed at the quantity of liquid drawn from the patient. 



At the time I am now writing, the news has just arriv- 

 ed from India, that the maharajah Gholab Sing is himself 

 suffering from dropsy ; and had the arrangements which I 

 had made respecting this work permitted, I should certain- 

 ly have returned to India before this, and have probably been 

 able to have rendered him some assistance. I have, however,, 

 forwarded to him (if not too late) some medical advice, 

 and also instructions for the preparation of medicines which 

 can be procured on the spot, and administered by his own 

 people ; for the Hindoos, as I have before mentioned, will 

 not take anything which has been prepared or even touch- 

 ed by a stranger. 



At the period when I was at Cashmere, the maharajah 

 had several English visitors, whom he treated with the 

 greatest hospitality. Some of them had come from 

 Simla via Thibet. At that time, and previously, it was the 

 custom for every European, of whatever nation he might be, 

 who visited the valley of Cashmere, to be received as a 



