INDIAN CUSTOMS. 219 



sary. I can vouch from experience, that the first 

 pipe of a morning always causes a desire to go 

 to stool, and such as are in the habit of smoking, 

 and are deprived of it any morning, seldom have 

 an inclination to visit Cloacina's temple that day, 

 and are generally troubled with head-aches in 

 consequence. 



The remaining salutary customs I shall here 

 notice, is, their daily habit of bathing in cold 

 water, washing out their mouths after every thing 

 they swallow, and cleaning their teeth every 

 morning. Their sacred book enjoins a Brahmin, 

 under the penalty of losing the benefit of all rites 

 performed by him, to rub his teeth every morning 

 with a proper withe. It is so particularly incul- 

 cated as to specify the racemiforous fig-tree as 

 the best kind of twig, which is of a soft fibrous 

 nature, and by being bruised between two stones, 

 makes a good brush for the teeth, containing a 

 mucilaginous fluid which readily unites with the 

 oily particles on the teeth and gums, and is 

 therefore well adapted for the purpose. A fresh 

 twig must be used every morning. These are 

 customs much to be commended in eveiy country, 

 particularly in a hot one, where animal and ve- 

 getable matter soon becomes putrid under any 



