TO SMYRNA. 41 
can give them any fatisfacfion, it is no wonder they 
ihould be curious, and that a phyfician fhould be 
both welcome and employed. There is no occafion 
to defire to feel the pulfe. The firft thing the per- 
fon does who confults a doctor, is to put forward his 
naked arm. I know not where they learned this, as 
perhaps neither they, nor their fathers before 
them, ever appeared before a phyfician capable 
of judging by the pulfe. If I may guefs, I ihould 
think it tranfmitted by the parents to their off- 
spring, and to have been firft introduced by that 
great phyfician who lived here, and put fuch great 
and juft confidence in the pulfe. It is not difficult 
to imagine that the great doftor from Stanchio 
(Lous) to acquire perfeft experience, on which he 
built his fcience, here introduced the cuftom, that, 
when any difeafed perfon confulted him he felt his 
pulfe, which he taught his difciples ; of whom the peo- 
ple learned it, and have retained it to this day 
Without knowing the reafon ; in the fame manner 
as hath happened with religious ceremonies amongft 
lome nations, who now, tho’ they ftill ufe them. 
now not whence or why they were introduced, 
t lole who introduced and propagated them having 
through the change of times been extirpated. I 
gave my Mufelem fome medicines I had taken with 
me from Sweden in order to ftrengthen his ftomach. 
Seraglio of fifteen women, which at fo early 
an age he kept, was enough to hurt it ; but I would 
not adviffi any phyfician, who may chance to be in my 
tX-n. and > s confulted by a Turkiih grandee, to 
e 1Da rids, as he might perhaps become a' martyr 
o truth. l t i s tQ think anc j d 0 w j lat appears 
to oe of fervice, and talk as little as poffible. By 
a y ot recompence he gave me, as Lord of the 
Town, 
