248 INDIAN 



ced it. Smoking is another custom in gene- 

 ral, throughout India, and I firmly believe,, is 

 of salutary effect, particularly if riot indulged 

 in to excess, m or poisoned by the introduction 

 of intoxicating ingredients. Smoking pure 

 tobacco acts as a gentle stimulus to the intes- 

 tines, and causes regular evacuations; with- 

 out the use of which, recourse to medicines 

 would be often found necessary. I can vouch 

 from experience, that the first pipe of a morn- 

 ing 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 



