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some offence under a tree in which a Zittan is thought to live. The 
aura is said to he a peculiar smell which they attribute to the 
Zittans, and which is usually smelt under trees where they are 
supposed to reside. When girls suffer from this disease, they hardly 
ever find husbands, and in consequence lead immoral lives. The 
priests try to cure them with charms and amulets. The internal 
medicine which alone is used for epilepsy is as follows : — A puggee 
writes a few prayers upon a board, the writing is then washed off 
with water, which is then drunk by the patient. Epileptics are not 
systematically ill-treated, but their fathers cannot be said to have 
much affection for them, as they cannot expect any dowry for them. 
Although I made many inquiries on the subject, no single case of 
idiocy or mania came under my notice, and the people said that 
they were very rare. Small pox is very common. Persons who 
suffer from this disease are kept strictly isolated ; an old woman is 
deputed to nurse them. She gives a diet of porridge and milk, 
keeps the hut very warm, pricks the pustules as soon as they are 
well formed with a thorn, and anoints the patient’s body with castor 
oil. 
Wounds heal very rapidly ; they are dressed with a pulp made 
from various roots and barks. Arms are sometimes amputated for 
disease, but the legs never. The Eors also remove parts of the 
tongue affected by epithelioma. Splints well padded with cotton 
wool and fastened by strips of damoor cloth are used for broken 
bones. A few of the magicians are very celebrated for their dexterity 
in removing cataracts ; they travel round the country, and enjoy a 
wide reputation, and for successful operations receive very consider- 
able remuneration. Deformities are very rarely seen. 
I never saw an albino. They are said to be very exceptional. 
They are called abortions, as the people believe that they were born 
before their time. They are mostly beggars, and much despised, as 
they are said to be very cowardly, silly, and cry whenever they are 
pinched. They are also said to have little power of smell. 
Labour . — As before mentioned, married women have huts of 
their own, and as a husband does not live with his wife during the 
later months of pregnancy, she has only to send her children away 
to her friends to be free from observation. A few of her female 
friends attend her during delivery. A group of women usually 
