266 MESSES. D. HOOPER AND H. H. MANN ON 



use of all earth. It has been said that the natives endeavour to stop the practice by 

 administering castor-oil and other aperients to the earth-eaters, but this does not prevent 

 them from eating more as soon as an opportunity occurs. A planter in Assam almost 

 completely suppressed the habit on his estate by making the offenders stand out with a 

 piece of mud in each hand exposed to the ridicule of the rest of the coolies. 



The earth-eating habit, like some other diseases, appears and disappears in some 

 localities like an epidemic. There are records of the prevailing habit in tea-gardens where 

 it was not known before. An instance is given that it was practically unknown in Haila- 

 kandi District, Cachar, before 1888, but now it is of frequent occurrence. On the other 

 hand, we are told that in certain localities it has almost entirely disappeared. In illustra- 

 tion of this we have been informed that earth-eaters are much more scarce than formerly 

 in the Chittagong Estates, and that the habit was much more prevalent among the Parsi 

 women in Bombay about twenty years ago than it is now. 



3. With many people in India clay is a recognised article of food, and hunger often 

 leads to excessive consumption. In the desert region of Rajputana, ashes, clay, mud and 

 powdered soapstone are eaten in times of scarcity and famine. It is often use to give 

 bulk to the meagre meal of the bark, leaves or roots of trees. When finely ground and 

 used in proportions of about one-fourth to three-fourths of flour it does not apparently im- 

 pair digestion for a considerable time. Fakirs and mendicants are said to eat clay from 

 genuine hunger. Possibly among the coolies on tea and other estates, clay may be taken 

 in the first instance to keep off hunger between meals, but it very rapidly develops into 

 a habit from this cause. There is no scarcity of food in many places where the habit is 

 ripe, for dried fish, vegetables besides different kinds of yams and fresh meat for those 

 whose caste permits them to eat it, are obtainable all the year round. As the habit grows 

 all desire for natural food dies out and the craving for clay increases. A young Cangani 

 or maistry who supplied labour to a tea estate in Travancore, who was himself an invete- 

 rate earth-eater, was asked why he took this habit. His reply was, " We eat earth or 

 clay because it keeps off hunger, and because it tastes like biscuits." This man died of 

 lung disease at 30 years of age. 



We cannot help coming to the conclusion that where the habit exists among men it 

 has been induced, sometimes at any rate, by the long intervals occurring between the 

 taking of ordinary food. 



4. In a few cases the earth-eating habit is acquired entirely as the result of imita- 

 tion. Among certain classes of women, it would almost seem infectious. One planter in 

 Assam has noted that a new coolie is never seen to practice the habit, but in time if the 

 subject is weak-minded or not of robust health, she easily contracts the habit. Some 

 women on being asked why they ate mud replied that they thought it would do them 

 good and because " other women did it," but it was not a dastur or custom in their own 

 country. 



V. Medicinal use of Earth. 



During the course of this enquiry we have noticed many references to the medical 

 action of clay in India, and the supposed virtues of this remedy have, on more than one 



