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the grain of a pomegranate, which is believed to be a part of the 

 heart that she had eaten. The patient picks it up immediately, 

 as part of his own intestines, and greedily swallows it. By this 

 means, as if his heart was replaced in bis body, he recovers his 

 health by degrees. These things can be only in appearance, by 

 the illusions of the devil ; and if the afflicted actually recover their 

 health, it is because the same devil ceases to torment them." 



This anecdote so corresponds with the occurrences in theZinore 

 purgunna, and there seems so much probability in that part re- 

 specting the devil acting upon the imagination of the sorcerer, as 

 to give him the idea of eating the heart of the devoted sufferer, as 

 in some degree settles that point. The real illness, dreadful con- 

 vulsions, and premature death of the wretched beings subject to 

 such diabolical influence, I can only ascribe to the terrors of an 

 affrighted hypochondriac, and the powerful effects of imagination, 

 which are known to operate strongly upon weak minds in more 

 enlightened countries than Guzerat. Be that as it may, the fre- 

 quency of these spectacles in the districts under my care, were 

 painful, disgusting, and, situated as I was, irremediable. There 

 was no deceit in the afflicted persons brought on their beds into 

 my presence, bedewed by parental tears, imploring a relief I could 

 not give. I seldom saw them in an early stage of this cruel disor- 

 der; perhaps hope was encouraged, and other means used for their 

 recovery, before they were brought before an English gentleman 

 invested with authority to give redress. That certainly was the 

 case at Baroche; consequently the wretched beings I generally 

 saw, were, like the Parsee youth, brought on his bed to our garden- 

 house at Baroche, emaciated, agonizing, foaming at the mouth. 



