M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-01-21
From Blackwools Magazine.
Adventures I'm BeiOOchistan.

To the practice Of medicine in Be-
Iloochistan, there are only two slight
drawbacks. When the physician
gives a dose, he is expected to partake
IOf a similar ore himself, as q guaran.
tee af his good faith; should the pa.
tient die under his hands, the relatives,
though by no means bound to exercise
it in all circumstances, have the right
of putting him to death, unless a spo.
! Icial agreement has been made, freeing
| him from all responsibility as to the
consequences while he, should they
decide on immolating him, has no
reasonable ground for complaint, but
is expected to submit to his fate like a
man and a hakim. In other respects,
the amateur will find an easy field.
| No diploma or special qualifications
are required Of him; his ignorance
will remain undetected the ailments
are few and simple ; the chances for
recovery are great, for the healing
powers ofnature are very strong.
The two drawbacks | have men,
toned, .and to which no European
need subject himself, may appear to
be very cruel conditions Of medical
practice, but, in reality, they belong
to the civilization (such as it is) Of
Beloochistan, and form q protection
against worse evils. Like the blood
leud which exists in that country as
we'll as in all the Arab-peoplod deserts,
these conditions are intended to pro-
vide for the preservation oflife, and
undoubtedly have that effect; for, un-
fortunately, the ordinary eastern ha-
kims are not men Of irreproachGbIo
character. Mohammed Bux, for in
stance, who was born in Upper India,
and, in the course ofhis vagabond life,
has travelled from Pegu to Bagdad, is
an unscrupulous scoundrel, who dares
not show his face in two thirds Of the
places he has been. AS a last des-
| perate resource, when hotly pursued
Iby deserted wives, delrauded credit,
ors, aud relatives Of patients to whom
he has administered poisonous drugs,
he takes refuge in BeloochiStan, and
proceeds to pay his way by killing
and curing. When he falls into the
hands of Balooch Khan, the crafty old
chief deems it an excellent opportunity
for gratifying a cherished desire.
Long has Balooch Khan gnashed
his teeth at the growing power and
influence Of his formidable neighbor,
Mirab Khan SO, taking Mohammcd
Bux aside, ho first threatens that
worthy with instant death as the meet
reward of his deeds, but then, soften
ing down little, hints that not death
! but a large reward, might be bestow
ed on Mohammed BuX, would he
only administer such a potion to Mih
rab Khan as might prove the sherbct
of mortality to that chief; or, still
better, might steal away his mind
leaving his body like an empty vessel,
without honor. Balooch Khan having
sworn, by Peer Kisri, or else with the
Koran ON his head, to give the reward,
Mohammed Bux proceeds to Min
rab Khan, and, very likely, the
first thing he does is to inform tina
chief of tho whole plot; WHEREOF
Mihrab pretends to be very i'll, anC
desirous, before he dies, Of seain!
Balooch Khan. lfBalooch Khan fall
into this trap, he goes, secretly oXult
ing, to condolo with his noighbor; bu
no sooner is he seated, and before an
guarantee is passed, than a suddcI
end is put to his existence, by bloy
/, similar to that which was bestowe,
on the valiant Fairshon by the chic
of the clan McTavish. But possibl
Mohammed Bux may deem it best t,
keep faith with the first chief, and i
is with the view Of preventing him
;. and men like him, from administer
ing poison, that he is compelled t
take dose tor dose. Even this is re
garded as an Insufficient protection
for the hakim may have antidotes.-
AS further safeguard, it is neccssar
to hold over him the punishment {
death in the event of matters CROWN
suspiciously wrong.
In all southern Bcloochistan, how
ever, the European who proifers medi
cine is regarded without suspicion =
And there is nothing so extraorlinar
that it may not be expected OF til
traveller and physician.
AT one small town, a man wa
brought to me who had no arms, bu
only tmee fingered hands, 10 large
than a chi!d's, projecting out of th
otherwise smooth sides Of the body
This tu5uS natu1g. was really a yer
, singular development, and ought
be procured for a surgical museum
but he was brought, not as curiosity
but in order that might give hir
, medicine to make his arms grow
, Ilnprudently, l acknowledged that thi
, case was quite beyond my abilities
, and this, instead procuring me an