All English Doctor In Asia minor

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 86, 24 January 1885, Page 5

All English Doctor In Asia minor

, As my patients became numerous, and pestered me at all hours, I fitted up a spare tent to serve as my dispensary, and gave out that I received at the time of afternoon prayer (assr). I took my seat at the door of my tent, and soon had a crowd around me, many suffering from real diseases, many from imaginary ones, and many bringing for my inspection the effects of diseases, such as palsied limbfe and stiff joints. A young man who was the first to show himself, most vociferous to see the hakeem. He entered my tent and desired a private interview. " Eshtareed, what do you want?" l asked, " Ya hakeem, shoo/," he began, "look here: lam married to a wife, and am somewhat tired of her, and 111 1 have fallen in love with a virgin whom I wish to marry ; but my wife, curaesonjher ! has found it out cc wnllah ! and has givon her a charm which, prevents the beautiful virgin from loving- me. I have beaten my wife, but tha-t.is of no use. Ya hakeem, I am your sacrin;ce i"-r i "-r- taking me "by the beard, which he" kissed— 1 ' (Jod bless you, hatieem, give me some strong medicine to kill the charm, and I am your slave and sacrifice." " Here," said I, " take this pill fasting, and you are cured." And as he re tired with the precious bread-pill, which he tiedup in the corner of his sleeve, he called down blessings on my head. An old woman next came forward, and taking hold of the corner of my cloak, she kissed it, and then kneeling before me, began in a very wheedling manner to call my attention to her case. She went on to describe the most anomalous symptoms, affecting her eyes, ears, limbs, and sometimes every part of her. On further inquiry she confessed to be quite well at that moment, but a year ago having had these strange complaints, she dreaded the game thing would invade her this year. 1 then promised to give her strong medicine, but ordered the crowd to stand at a short distance from us. A space is cleared, and all await in silent admiration for my remedy 1 slowly draw forth a bottle of strong liquor of ammonia, (or smelling salts) from my medicine chest, and holding it before my patient'e eyes, tell her to draw in a strong breath uhen I put it to her nose. I accordingly first hold her nostrils, then having removed the stopper, I apply the mouth of the bottle to the nose, the lingers are removed, a long sniff is taken, followed by a sort of spasm, and she falls to the ground. A hum of horror runs through the orowd ; the patient, aftera shortinterval rises, her eyes streaming with tears ; and then broke from the crowd :—" La iluhu ilia 'Uahu Mahommed rasuliC'Uah"—" There is no (»od but the God, and Mahommed is the Apostle of God."— Humphrey Sandivith: a Memoir.