410 OK EVIDENCE, OR T,HAT PHRIYAN. 
10. Pliedchakhaafc or executioners, because hard hearted and 
fearless. 
11. Empirics. We may judge by this term of the degree of im¬ 
portance which the Siamese Faculty of medicine attach to them¬ 
selves. The most skilful of the body cannot avoid the charge of ar¬ 
rant emperieism, although had the genius for the science of physic 
existed, the Siamese might have used their text books, which are of 
ancient origin, with more advantage to their patients than they have 
done. There are no Schools for medicine in Siam ; and so long as 
superstition places more faith in astrological mummery than in phy¬ 
sic, there is no temptations to lead the practitioner from his easy 
course, in which study and reflection have scarcely any share. 
12. Performers in theatrical exhibitions. Their profession be¬ 
ing deemed rather disreputable. 
13. Kathii-e or hermaphrodites. I suppose as they cannot be 
sworn either as a male or female. 
14. Strolling musicians, and singers for the reasons given un¬ 
der class 12. 
15. Strolling shampooing Doctors, do. &c. 5 
16. Women of bad fame, cause obvious. 
17. Blacksmiths. It is rather singular to find so important a 
class of handicraftsmen excluded from a right of this nature. But it 
would seem that the exclusion is founded on a belief in Siam that 
most of their blacksmiths are dishonest. 
IB. Rok,ha p,hayat. Persons labouring under any loathsome 
and incurable disease. Here superstition has overbalanced reason. 
4 
For the Siamese cannot otherwise account for this exclusion than by 
affirming that those labouring under a cruel malady are suffering the 
just punishment due for offences committed in a prior state of exis¬ 
tence. 
Expiation does not form a part of the moral or civil code, for' 
P,hra Phom Chau tjiee or the God of earth, the recording spirit , 
writes the evil actions of men on a dogskin parchment, and their 
• 
virtuous deeds on a golden scroll, and when their immortal souls are 
just separating from their bodies, the two volumes are opened. Should 
