established at Lahore, and will now inform the reader of the origin of that establishment. Major Mac Gregor, the director of the police at Lahore, on passing the bazaar on horseback, was one day stopped by a woman, who was believed to be insane. On account of this accident, the Resident issued an order that the durbar should establish an asylum for such persons. I was consulted upon the subject, and it was resolved that such patients should be received into my hospital. Accordingly, many lunatics were brought there, and they were generally followed by a great many curious spectators. I succeeded in curing, in the course of two months, the first five individuals under my superintendance, which fact I communicated to the Rajah Teja Sing, and he ordered me to present them to the assembly at the Residency of Anarkullee: which I did. But they manifested no desire to see them, and looked upon the matter with indifference, by which I began to perceive that my stay at Lahore was near its end, and that the best thing I could do was to return to Europe. Neither did I think it necessary to wait for the arrival of my assistants, whom I had, with the permission of the government, requested to come over; namely, an apothecary and a surgeon, from Europe. Both of these gentlemen had received from me 3000 florins for the expenses of their journey, and I intended also to pay their salaries from my own private purse; for as my health was on the decline, in consequence of the many affairs to which I had to attend, I was really longing for some relief. The indifference shown to me, however, in the Residency, did not prevent me from presenting the restored lunatics to the native durbar at the fortress, and I was ordered to send them to their respective homes. The woman who stopped the policedirector at the bazaar I presented to Major Mac Gregor when he was in the Kotchery (office). They had committed her to me in a most miserable state, nearly naked, and fettered like a wild beast; now she was dressed in a white gown, and looking quite genteel. Without having been invited to sit down, she took her seat modestly between the Sherishtedars, or clerks, and behaved with great decorum. The people locked frst at one another, and then at the woman, as if though conscious of her identity, they could scarcely credit the evidence of their own senses. Even Major Mac Gregor was astonished, and asked me what I had done to make her behave so well? My answer was, ➡by cleanliness, some physic, douche-baths, decent dress, good food, amusements, occupation, presents, promises, &c., &c.; all this, connected with good treatment, scarcely ever fails to bring back such poor creatures to a state of reason. I never beat them, never ill-treat them, but I prevent them from doing any mi-chief to others or to themselves." This reply highly pleased the major. The woman in question was about forty years of age, and when she was committed to my care, she was so furious that every one feared her. She was jumping about, beating all whom she met, and would have flung stones and other projectiles at any one near her, if she had not been prevented; but her fury soon subsided, she became as quiet as she had formerly been boisterous, and was scarcely able to walk. On an examination, I found her suffering from the syphilitic disease. I asked her how long she had had that disorder; she answered, a long time. Probably she had a lues occulta, which might have been the cause of her mental complaint, only when the lues broke out again she got rid of the disorder. I regret having neglected that opportunity of trying what effect syphilitic inoculation might have produced. This woman gave me a curious relation of what had occurred to her, and which she stated to have been the primitive cause of her madness. She told me that she had sometime since spent all she was worth on the occasion of the marriage of her only son, but no sooner had the bride arrived than she discovered her to be an hermaphrodite. She made her complaint to the kardar (magistrate) of the village without obtaining any satisfaction, because the judge inclined to that side where the money was in greater abundance. This fact induced her to go to Lahore and apply to the English for redress. On this occasion she lost her reason. Nevertheless, she stopped the right person at the bazaar-the director of police, he having probably been pointed out to her as the superior judge, to whom she should apply. At Lahore, I had the opportunity of seeing several hermaphrodites, who enjoyed the privilege of being admitted at all births and nuptial festivals, to congratulate the parties and get presents, this being, in fact, their sole means of subsistence. The birth solemnities, however, only take place when the child is of the male sex, never, on any occasion, at the birth of a female. They go so far in this matter as to conceal the latter event; and the greatest part of the inhabitants of the Punjab, whether Musselmen, Sikhs, or Hindoos, are all quite happy when a new-born female departs this life. They would consider it an insult, should any one congratulate the parents on the birth of a female. I am sorry to have to relate a fact which is so very uncomplimentary to the ladies, but the first duty of an historian is to tell the truth. If the fair sex in Europe are desirous of knowing why such little regard is paid to their charms, they need only ask the first Hindoo they may meet with, and he will give them the ungallant answer, that a son brings money into the house, whilst a daughter carries it away. One of the before-mentioned lunatics, whom I cured, was a brother-in-law of the Maharajah Runjeet Sing, namely, Mirza, brother of the famous Goolbegum. He was fond of smoking churrus, and used to quarrel, when intoxicated, with his brother and sister (Nobab and Goolbegum), about the estates which Runjeet Sing gave them. He again became insane, and they committed him once more to my care, where he remained until he promised them in writing never thenceforth to smoke churrus, or quarrel with them. On account of this, Goolbegum took him to her abode in the fortress, so that he might be properly watched. I met him there several months afterwards in perfect health. Having mentioned the habit of smoking churrus, I will make the reader acquainted with some other intoxicating materials that are used by the natives. An agreeable intoxicating beverage is prepared by the inhabitants of the Punjab from the hemp plant. It is especially indulged in by the Nahungs, faqueers, |