No. 32.— 1886.] MEDICAL HISTOKY OF CEYLON. 321 



accursed, and that, viewed as a means of God's vengeance, no 

 attempt is made by incantations and exorcisms, as is done in 

 other diseases, to propitiate the gods. Even the rites of 

 burial are denied, the body of the dead being removed to a 

 distant jungle, and then left covered with bushes and 

 branches of trees to decompose. The goddess Pattini is 

 believed to have the peculiar power of averting or preventing 

 small-pox, and to her is dedicated a temple situated in the 

 forests on the side of Ambokkekanda, where also stands 

 the remains of Bapgula Nuwara.* Pridham relates that 

 during the prevalence of small-pox at Matale, the Kapurdla, 

 or lay priest, of Ambokke, was in constant request, and 

 reaped an abundant harvest from the terror and superstitions 

 of his neighbours. Every village in the vicinity of an 

 infected place, by means of presents nominally offered to 

 the goddess, but the most valuable of which were appro- 

 priated by the Kapurdla, procured his presence ; and the 

 relics from the temple, consisting of a shield and bangle 

 (amulet), were borne through the village followed by all the 

 inhabitants, and duly honoured by the noise of every tom- 

 tom, pipe, shank, shell, or trumpet which they could procure. 

 The Kapurdla had been at a former period afflicted with 

 the natural small-pox, and was shrewd enough to have his 

 whole family vaccinated, though his supposed temerity in 

 visiting infected villages, and his good fortune in escaping 

 contagion, were accounted for by himself, and believed by 

 the people, to arise from the protection of the goddess. His 

 influence was hence considerable, and his selfishness led him 

 to use every secret means of checking the progress of vacci- 

 nation among the dupes, by whom he was enriching himself. 



Active measures in the prosecution of vaccination, the 

 introduction of legislative measures to help on this gOod 

 work, and to enable those in authority in the exercise of 

 a wise discretion to isolate and effectually segregate the 



* See R. A, S. Journal, No. 29, 1884, pp. 368-394. 



