52 
PRACTICE OF DOCTORS. 
Kauzeroon. On the road we overtook a Persian family, journeying 
from their village near Shapour, for the express purpose of consulting 
the surgeon of the embassy, in the hopes that he might cure the grand¬ 
father of the family, who had been long afflicted with swelled glands. 
The grandfather, an infirm old man, was mounted on a horse, wdth his 
granddaughter-in-law behind him : the grandson walked by the side of 
his wife and grandfather, with a gun over his shoulder; and the son 
brought up the rear on another horse. The grandson, a fine youth of 
about eighteen, accosted us, by asking whether the European doctor 
would cure his grandfather ? and when we had assured him that we 
would use our influence to that effect, he appeared so much pleased at 
his success in the first and ostensible object of their journey, that he 
was emboldened to proceed upon what was probably his most pressing 
want, and asked us to give him some money, entering at the same time 
upon a long enumeration of the miseries of the peasantry of his dis¬ 
trict, who, he assured us, were oppressed by their governors beyond the 
power of endurance. We asked him, what he paid yearly to the 
government, in the way of tribute or tax : “ Yearly?” said he, “ why 
“ we pay monthly, and frequently twice a month.”—“ And upon what 
“ objects are the taxes levied?”—“ Upon every thing that we possess,” 
added he; “ and when they can find nothing else to tax, they tax our 
“ children. Would to Heaven that you Europeans would come and 
“ take this country from us, and then I would be your servant!” 
The news that a foreign hakeem, or doctor, was passing through the 
country, very soon was spread abroad, and at every halt our camp was 
thronged with the sick, not only of the village near to which we were 
encamped, but of all the surrounding villages. Many came several 
days’ journies to consult our doctor, and were brought to him in spite 
of every difficulty and inconvenience. Some came on asses, bolstered 
up with cushions, and supported by their relations ; others on camels, 
whose rough pace must have been torture to any one in sickness. It 
may be conceived what a misfortune sickness must be, in a country 
where there is no medical relief, nor even a wheeled conveyance, to 
seek relief when it is at hand. The greatest credit is due to the me- 
