412 
TIBET. 
quicksilver with honey, gave them an opportunity of seeing it done, 
and had the satisfaction of hnding it successfully used by themselves, 
before we left the country. - 
This happy climate presents us with but little variety in their dis¬ 
eases. Coughs, colds, and rheumatism, are more frequent here than 
in Bengal. Fevers generally arise here from a temporary cause, are 
easily removed, and seldom prove fatal. The liver disease is occa¬ 
sionally to be met with, and complaints in the bowels, are not unfre- 
/ 
quent; but the grossness of their food, and uncleanliness of their 
persons, would, in any other climate, be the source of constant disease 
and sickness. They are ignorant (as we were not many years ago) of 
the proper method of treating diseases of the liver, and other viscera ; 
this is, I believe, the cause of the most obstinate and fatal disease to 
be met with in the country; I mean, the dropsy. As the Rajah had 
ever been desirous of my aid and advice, and had directed his doctors 
to attend to my private instructions and practice, I endeavoured to 
introduce a more judicious method of treating those diseases, by mer¬ 
curial preparations. I had an opportunity of proving the advantage of 
this plan, to their conviction, in several instances, and of seeing them 
\ 
initiated in the practice. 
/ 
The Rajah favoured me with above seventy specimens of the medi¬ 
cines in use with them. They have many sorts of stones and petrifac¬ 
tions, saponaceous to the touch, which are employed as an external 
application, in swellings and pains of the joints. They often remove 
such complaints, and violent head-achs, by fumigating the part affected, 
with aromatic plants and flowers. They do not seek for any other 
