ALE 



ALE 



IS acquired by reaiiing, ,iiid not from JifTei5\ion ; and both 

 anatomy and phyfiology remain prccifcly in the ftattf in 

 mhich they were tranlTiiittcJ by Galen. Their ignorance 

 of the circulation of the blood leaves them quietly in pof- 

 feffion of the ancient dodriiics, which were held facred 

 before that important difcovery. With a copious Materia 

 Medica, and a large colleftion of conipinuul remedies, 

 their praftice is confined to a few oflioinal preparations. 

 The precious ftoncs, pearls, bizoar, and leaf gold are in 

 high eileem. The principal cordials are the confections 

 of All.'ermcs and Hyacinln. The few chemical prepara- 

 tions that are in nfe are brought from Conftantinople, and 

 the Aleppo pharmacy is chiefly confined to the diilillation 

 of fuTiple waters, and the preparations of fyrups, conferves 

 and decoctions ; for fpirituous waters, tinfturcs and elixirs 

 are profcribed by the law of Mohammed. Some few in- 

 dividuals, however, are to be found, who are not only 

 more learned, but in their practice fagacioits, active and 

 rational ; and who, allowing for the difadvantages under 

 ■which they labour, are entitled to merit in their prcfcffion. 

 Surgeiy is lefs cultivated than phyfic. 



Of the quadrujjeds found in Aleppo and its vicinity, 

 we may mention two varieties of the cow, buffaloes, two 

 varieties of flieep, as many of the goat ; wild hogs, ga- 

 zelles or antelopes ; two forts of hare, the hedge-hog, the 

 jerboa ; four varieties of the camel ; three varieties of the 

 afs ; various breeds of mules, iwifes, dogs, cats, varieties 

 of mice, the mole, two varieties of bats, foxes and wolves ; 

 an animal called the flieeb, the hysna, the lynx, and the 

 panther. The markets of Aleppo are pkntihilJy fupplied 

 with poultry ; the cock and hen, turkeys, geefe, ducks 

 and pigeons. They have alfo abundance of game in the 

 different feafons, 8:c. Dr. RuflTell has given an ample cata- 

 logue of the ornithology of Aleppo. The confpicuous 

 fituation of Aleppo brings thither a great number of fea- 

 birds, and affords the curious a fingular amufement. If, 

 from the terraces after dinner, a motion be made of throw- 

 ing bread, numerous flocks of birds, which were floating 

 in the air, at a height which rendered them invifible, will 

 defcend and fly about the place: having been accuftomed 

 to receive morfels of bread which have been fcattcrcd for 

 amufement. For an account of the carrier pigeons of 

 Aleppo, fee cxkrizk J,i^eon. 



Tlie river Kovvick fupplics feveral fpecies and varieties 

 of fiih ; but it does not afford a fufTicient quantity for the 

 Aleppo markets : fo that the Chriflians, in their great lents, 

 are fupplied from the rivers Orontes and Euphrates, from 

 the lake of Antioch, and aH'o from another lake near Ma- 

 rafh. Amongft the reptiles, we might enumerate the frogs, 

 vhich abound on the banks of the Kowick, and from the 

 croaking of which it is faid to have derived its name. 

 Thefc are of a large fize, and fo dehcious, that fome 

 European epicures have declared it was almoft worth while 

 to make a journey to Syria, for the fole purpofe of re- 

 gahng on them. Tlic Kowick alfo fiirnifhcs a particular 

 kind of crab, (cancer fluviatilii') which is much efleemed. 

 This river likewife affords tortoifes in abundance. The 

 fdk-worm is a mofl material objeft to Syr'ji, being the 

 chief fource of its commerce with Europe. The bee is 

 alfo of great importance, on account of the confnmption 

 cf honey and wax. Among the noxious animals, the 

 frorpion is the principal. The fcolopendra, fnakcs and 

 ferpents, are found in Aleppo and its vicinity. Few houfes 

 are exempt from bugs, fleas, and mufquetoes. The com- 

 mon fiy and horfe fly are troublefome ; but of the infeft 

 tribes, the locuft is the moft dreadful in ^ts depredation : 

 this fets all the dcfcnfive ai-ts of man at defiance ; and dc- 



VOL. I. 



flroys, in a few days, the beautiful verdMre of extenfive 

 trails of cultivated country. Dr. Raffcll has given a ca- 

 talogue of the reptiles, feri>entii, infefts, and wofrnj that 

 are found in this country, and alfo a catalogue of Aleppo 

 plants, with appofite remarks. 



The epidemical difeafcs mofl prevalent in Aleppo are 

 continual f-vers, iutcrmitleul and lemiltent fevers, regular 

 and anomalous^ cnatic fevers, commonly attended with 

 diarrheta ; the dyfenteiy, quinly, pleurify, peripneumony, 

 rheumatifm and ophthalmia. The fporadic and chronic 

 d'ieafes are, with few exceptions, nearly the fame as in 

 Britain. Thofe which are mofl common at Aleppo, aie 

 pulmonaiy complaints, fpitting of blood, and confump- 

 tions, obllniiflions of the abdomuial vifcera, cachexy, 

 jaundice, dropfy, inguinal ruptures, the lixmorrhoids and 

 worms. The tinea is common, and various other cu- 

 taneous eruptions ; hut the true or confirmed leprofy is 

 now become; obfoletc in Syria. The vcuercal difcafc i* 

 alfo' very common in this country. The Europeans foon 

 after their arrival at Aleppo are fubjedl to a fever, whicU 

 has been dillinguiflied by the name of I'oca, or goofe. The 

 difcafc attacks but once ; and the Englifli are rather more 

 liable to it than the ProveiKjals and Italians. Tlie natives 

 of Aleppo and European ftrangers, after fome rcfidcncf 

 here, are fubjeft to a fingular kind of cn:ption ; which, 

 from the fuppofed time of its duration, is denominated the 

 botch of a year, or the ring-worm or pimple of Aleppo ; 

 but by the Europeans and Tiuks, il mal d'Aleppo, the 

 Aleppo evil, and the Aleppo ulcer. No part of the 

 body or limbs is exempt from this eruption, but it mod 

 commonly fixes on the face and leaves a fear, with which 

 almoft all the inhabitants are disfigured. Volncy fufpcfts 

 that it proceeds from the quality of the water. Dr. 

 Ruffell has particularly dcfcribed it ; and he obferves, that 

 the mercurial plafter was the mofl; cfhcpcious remedy. The 

 moft calamitous and deilruclive difcafe to which Aleppo 

 and its vicinity have been fubjeft is the plague. The 

 means which are praftifcd by the Europeans for their prc- 

 fervation, confiil either in a retreat from the city, or in 

 fhutting thcnifelves up in their town-houfes, in fuch a 

 manner as effeftually to prevent all intercourfe or commu- 

 nication, by which the infcttion might be received from 

 without. Befides the common regulations adopted by the 

 Europeans at Aleppo, and which have the fanciiou of long 

 experience. Dr. Ruffell recommended fome further pre- 

 cautions, which we fliall here tranfcribc for the informa- 

 tion of thofe who have no accefs to his comprchcniive and 

 valuable work. The firft of thelc precautions is, in the 

 general regimen of life, to guard againil exceffcs of all 

 kinds, violent paffions of the mind, and immoderate evacu- 

 ations. 2. In refpecl to diet, not to hve more fpa- 

 ringly than at other times, nor to kffen the quantity of 

 wine : perhaps one or two gluffes extraordinary might ra- 

 ther be beneficial; and the free ufc of acid hquors (fuch 

 as very weak four punch) was, in the fummcr, found not 

 only grateful to the palate, but falutaiy. 3. Never to 

 venture abroad in the morning faftirig. 4. When in the 

 chamber of the fick, or in palling near a corpie, or any 

 thing fufpe61ed of infeftion, carefully to avoid fwallowing 

 the faliva ; and, at t!ie fame time, to brtstlic through the 

 double folds of a handkerchief molllentd with plain vi- 

 negar, or vinegar impregnated with rue. 5. To reflrain 

 inipiration as much as poffible, while employed in examin- 

 ing the pulfe, or fuch other circumflanceS of the fick as 

 require drawing clofe to the bed ; and upon coming out of 

 the chamber, to wafli the mouth, face and hands with vine- 

 gar. 6. On the return home, after vifiting the iuftfted, or 

 4 H pafTmg 



