Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-03-28

the eunucn5, no men Dut LS" wv
tors are permitted to enter that
sanctuary, the harem OF the shah,
"harem" being an Arab word which
means sacred. The special doctor OF
the favorite, who shall be called
gcIyman to preserve his incognito, has
lifted the corner of the jealous veil
which envelops this feminine city
The. secluded life and the lack OF ed
ucation make the women Of the Ande-
roun very difficult patients. Dr.
Solyman complains bitterly Of their
childish naivete and superstition,
which obliged him to depend more on
diplomatic talent than medical science
When he came back from London,
where he had spent some years 81 St
2arChCIomew's hospital, he was ap-
pointed, says the London Daily
Graphic, one of the doctors of the
harem of his majesty. His debut was
difficult, for the other Persian doctors
jealous of his science and fearing to
see him grow at their expense,
leagued against him. They criticised
his prescriptions, and advised the
patients not to take medicines pre-
pared by man who had remained SO
long in contact with unclean Chris
tians.
DR.. SOlyman, in spite Of his ap-
pDintment as official doctor OF the
harem. was not consulted by any Of
the royal wives. Only servants and
slaves had recourse to his services.
br+ nriu q
when he was retained to attend a
slave of the favorite, whose grave
state Lecessitated his constant pres
ence, someone came to tell him that
the princess, who was having her
stesta, had started out of her sleep |
screaming being a prey to terrible
pairs AS there was no other doctor
within call he was asked to come and
attend her.
The favorite was in the Zirzamin, !
the underground chamber with low
vaulted ceiling, paved with white
marble, and with richly tiled walls, |
which is the favorite refuge of Per
sian women in summer. Sunk in the
center was a fountain with jet of
water which distributed a refreshing
GOODNESS. A crowd Of women sur
rounded the princess. She was ly-
ing on a thin mattress spread on the
marble in one of the arched recesses
between the two doorways, facing
each other to create continual
draught These are the characteris-
tics of the zirzamin.
A Visit to the Princess.
On the arrival Of DR.. SOlyman, the
women drew their wells over their
faces, and the eunuch rushed to the
gate and stopped him while a curtain
was erected in front Of the recess to
allow the doctor to approach the prin-
cess without seeing her. When the
doctor was at her side he could at
first only elicit means in reply to his
questions; but the patient at last gave
him to understand in sentences
broken by lamentations, that, after
her lunch she had fallen asleep as
usual and that she had seen herself,
in her sleep, surrounded by bad djinns,
who had pierced her chest with in
visible darts which gave her horrible
pains.
Upon that, to the establishment of
the people present, DR.. Solyman turn
ed to the eunuch and asked without
paying any attention to the djinns,
what the princess had eaten for
lunch. When he learned that her
menu consisted of iced "mastkhyar"
cucumber and curds), he understood
that nothing fas the matter except
indigestion. However, being a con-
ventional man, he wanted to draw an
exact diagnosis Of the case. She con
scented to let him feel of her pulse.
and arm emerged from the curtain.
He felt the pulse, but when he de-
sired to see the tongue he had to
enter on a lengthy parley before the
curtain opened far enough to let the
princess, closely yelled, show him
the tip of hel tongue.
Dr. SO,yman wrote his prescrip-
ton, and the mother of the princess,
a very superstitious person. perform
ell the "Estekhareh," seized her beads
at a chance place, and then began to
tell them off to the end as We count
cherry stones on a plate. But at the
sane moment the regular doctor of
the princess, who had been sent for
arrived. Everybody turned from Dr.
Solyman and his prescription as if he
had never been there.
When the regular doctor had pre-
scribed in his turn, the "Estekhareh"
was performed again, and this time
the result was unfavorabIe. Heaven
had declared itself; DR.. SoIymon
triumphed. His prescription pro
duced such a good and prompt effect
that the delighted princess would
have no other doctor from that day
forward.
JeaIousies in the Harem.
All these women seemed to live in
perpetual anticipation of the judg-
ment of Paris. 1t was who should be
the most beautiful; who should pos,
sess the most fascinating wardrobe.
Jewels and precious stones excited
the greatest coyetousness. The shah
distributed them prodigally, and on