42 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER. 
An infirmity, to which the Abyflinians are fubject, of 
much worfe confequence to the community than the ele- 
phantiafis, | mean lying, makes it impoffible to form, from 
their relations, any accurate account of fymptoms that might 
lead the learned to difeover the caufes of this extraordinary 
diftemper, and thence fuggelt fome rational method to cure, 
or diminifh it. 
Ir was not from the ignorance of language, nor. from 
want of opportunity, and lefs from want of pains, that lam 
not able to give a more diftinét account of this dreadful dif: 
order. I kept one of thofe infected in a houfe adjoining to 
mine, in my way to the palace, for near two years; and,, 
during that time, I tried every fort of regimem that f could: 
devife. My friend, Dr Ruffel, phyfician: at Aleppo, (now in 
the Eaft Indies), to. whofe care and {kil I was indebted for 
my life ina dangerous fever which! had in Syria, and whofe 
friendfhip I muft always confider as one of the greateft ac- 
quifitions I ever made in travelling, defired me, among other 
medical inquiries, to. try the effect of the cicuta upon this 
cifeafe ; and a confiderable quantity, made according to the 
direGige of Dr Storke, phyfician in Vienna, was fent me from 
Paris, with inftructions how to ufe it. 
Havine firft cae ture the whole matter, both to the 
king, Ras Michael, and Azage Tecla Haimanout, chief juftice 
of the king’s bench in Abyilinia, and told them of the: con= 
fequences. of giving too great a dofe, I obtained their joint 
permiffions. to go on without fear, and do what I thought 
requifite. It is my opinion, fays the Azage, that no harm 
that may accidentally befal one miferable individual, now 
already cut off from fociety, fhould hinder the serial (che 
only 
