EARTH-EATING AND THE EARTH-EATING HABIT IN INDIA. 257 



sides. In the Kalat highlands and Las Bela, a clay called met, imported from Sind, is 

 eaten, and if this is not obtainable, a local earth known as karkat containing salt efflor- 

 escence is used. In the Jalawan country in Kalat, lumps of clay are sometimes mixed 

 with salt and burnt in the embers before consumption. The baked clay of the hearth is 

 also sometimes eaten in Las Bela. Indeed the habit of eating burnt clay seems to be 

 widely prevalent." Eleven samples of raw clays were sent by Mr. Hughes-Buller to 

 represent the edible varieties employed in Baluchistan. One of the most interesting was 

 a sample bought in the Quetta bazar, a compact, laminated and fossiliferous clay of a 

 greyish or buff colour; similar deposits were sent from Sibi, Shahrig, Kohlu and 

 Baikhan, and resembled Multani matti. A dark reddish-brown clay came from Hindu- 

 bagh. Samples from Hori and Duki were compact lumps, greyish-blue or slatey in 

 colour. That from Fort Sandeman was a soft, friable clay of a brownish colour. The 

 deposit from Killa Saifulla was in dry nodular masses of a brown colour. From these 

 samples it appears that the earth eaten is generally met {Multani matti) purchased in the 

 bazar. Burnt (pakka) earth is considered less injurious than fresh (kaclia) earth. Pieces 

 taken off a fireplace are considered pakka, and met is sometimes burnt and soaked in 

 milk before being eaten. Charcoal and ashes are sometimes used as a substitute for 

 earth. The edible clay of Afghanistan is known as gil-i-sarshu. 



We are indebted to the Director of the Baroda Museum for sending an interesting 

 series of earths used for edible and medicinal purposes in and around Baroda, Those 

 usually eaten are the piJi matti, or yellowish-brown earth, kali ?natti or black earth, and 

 khadi ?natti, which is common chalk or carbonate of lime. The former two may be obtained 

 in the district without any difficulty and no value is placed upon them, but the chalk 

 is only obtainable in the bazar. The black earth or clay is hard and compact. It is said 

 that if this earth is baked and a little water poured upon it, it disintegrates and gives off 

 a pleasant odour which is always peculiarly attractive to earth-eaters. There are certain 

 clays used in Baroda for medical treatment, mostly as external applications, and rarely 

 for internal administration. These are gul-e-armani, Multani matti and Gopichandan . 

 These are applied as a paste made with water in cases of inflammatory and glandular 

 swellings. The first two are bought in the bazars, while the third occurs in a small lake 

 called Gopitalao, near Dwarka on the west coast of Gujerat, from which the earth takes 

 its name. Gopichandan, which is composed largely of calcium carbonate, is an oblong 

 cake of a yellowish colour, and is used by Hindus in making the tilak or religious mark 

 on the forehead (Fig. 6). 



The materials of the clay-eaters of Assam are of the usual varied character. In 

 Cachar there are red, blue and black clays; the red being eaten raw, while the blue and 

 black varieties are burnt before eating. Coolie women in this district favour a sticky 

 blue clay, wnich may be collected in the neighbourhood or bought in a burnt state 

 in the bazar ; others prefer a light-red coloured clay. Some earth-eaters prefer burnt earth ; 

 but whatever preference they may have at one time for a special kind of mud, as the 

 habit increases the depraved appetite is satisfied with burnt bricks and broken pieces of 

 kalsais (pots). Coolies are also disposed to white-ant soil taken from the centre of the 

 nest, and white-ants themselves are included as a delicacy. 



