Chap. XIII. SEKELETU'S LEPROSY, 270 



try for another month ; if he was not cured by that time, 

 then she would hand him over to the white doctors." But 

 we intended to leave the country before a mouth was up; 

 so Mamire, with others, induced the old lady to suspend 

 her treatment for a little. She remained, as the doctors 

 stipulated, in the Chief's establishment, and on full pay. 



Sekeletu was told plainly that the disease was unknown 

 in our country, and was thought exceedingly obstinate of 

 cure; that we did not believe in his being bewitched, and 

 we were willing to do all Ave could to help him. Tins was 

 a case for disinterested benevolence ; no pay was expected, 

 but considerable risk incurred ; yet we could not decline it, 

 as we had the trading in horses. Having, however, none 

 of the medicines usually employed in skin - diseases with 

 us, we tried the local application of lunar caustic, and 

 hydriodate of potash internally ; and with such gratifying 

 results, that Mamire wished the patient to be smeared all 

 over with a solution of lunar caustic, which he believed to 

 be of the same nature as the blistering fluid formerly ap- 

 plied to his own knee by Mr. Oswell. Its power he con- 

 sidered irresistible, and he would fain have had anything like 

 it tried on Sekeletu. 



The disease begins with slight discoloration of the sur- 

 face, and at first affects only the cuticle, the patches spread- 

 ing in the manner, and with somewhat of the appearance, 

 of lichens, as if it were a fungus; small vesicles rise at 

 the outer edges of the patches, and a discharge from the 

 vesicles forms scabs. . The true skin next thickens and 

 rises in nodules, on the forehead, nose, and ears ; and, when 

 the disease is far advanced, foul fissures appear on the toes 

 and fingers ; these eventually drop off, and sometimes the de- 

 formed patient recovers. The natives believe it to be here- 



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