4 12 T I B E T.
quicksilver with honey, gave them an opportunity of seeing it done,
and had the satisfaction of fijading it successfully used by thfcmselves,
befe^ ’We left the coiintry.
This happy climate presents us with, but little variety in their' diseases.
Coughs, colds, and rheumatism, are more frequent here than
in Bengal. Fevers generally arise here from a temporary cause, are
easily removed, and seldom prtjve fatal. The liver disease is occasionally
to be met with, and complaints in the bowels, are not .unfrequent
; but the grossness of . their fowl, 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 Hver,. 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 Bis doct«i?$
to attend to my private instructions, and practice, I endeavoured- to
introduce a more judicious method of treating those-dtseases,: by mercurial
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 medicines
in use. with them. They have many sorts of stones, and petrifactions,
saponaceous, to the touch, which are employed as an external
application, *n 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
T I B E T. 413
means of Jhfeianatio^ni respect^./the,- state,»of at.patient-,, tfa.n - that .of
. feeling the p u fe e a n d , the sejrtt o f pain
and disease-, {is^easilyvtolsbe, djfpqveredv; no% Sto.-|imuch ftoinsfhe, fre-
quenpytof thp, pulses-^ motion...>r|Ffey fogf tfai,pulse,
at thqjv^isf,. with their,three f^ t^ B g ^ ^ ^ rt^ jo if^ rjg h t^ and, t^en
ofthe left-bap.^, .after.pressing, m o r e . . o n . .an^
sionally removing one.or-two pftj^fpgejs;, they^datermine'iyh'a^the
disease is .,..They ^dpiS^t eat-,aUy.thiugrthg dite.y. take
physiq, but) .endeavour to^mafe up.d^loss-a'lieiwards, hyjjatmg.moio-1
fteely than before, and.using sUch;,m?<%®ie^^t|iey tWpk.-w.ill, occa;
siqn: eo§tiyeness. ,
The many,simples,ha, pse^with. them-,,.ai|&v fmtn? th^, vegeJaibfo-sking- I
dom, cpjlected .chiefly in, BoutanVj Theyiaj^i^g^nera^inojFen^iye^s'and I
y.?ryf,nidd};}n,their operationVfjC a r m in a t\- a r o m a
old® 1 and afj^pfeiop^.q-f the breast; - if-he c opt au i y,,Goiianj I
f|§S, carraway* apd(1cinnamon, are-^ this s^t^; T.%;lastjis, 'v^ith.thepi', I
Tb^.bt^k of the root g f that sgp^eSjOf Lauj-qg^jni^y.men^oned as
a native of this counfry. The^b^^^from the rootiig^in thjs,plant, the
only part which partakes of ^cinnamon Jaste-;. and yl 5doqhd;ve$y
much if it could be- distinguished,.^ the b,esypdges,/fromJ>what;(we
cgll the true cippapion. The baffk^Jeaye^, stalks-pf'many
.in use withjjjjem, ft^^p.^jl^cpetiqn^^^to^^have,
lUtfcl^pf j thg^i^ipgent bitter ta^te of ojyi most s^^U ® jnedi(att^'|
and are,, generally employed,A^^with, thfesame^i^^ ,{,0- strength^/
the powers of digestion,, and mend4he^^neraLh^bjt^yfjhe.i,rj prfndpa 1
purgative medicines are bfoqght by.tfe Cbiqgsq,;foJLassa. | Theyhad