1 declared in all the Christum churches, that Murium Khatoon
2 (Lady Mary) liad saved the life of the royal Prince, and was
3 the only person who could cure tlu geHnjik, that being the
4 Turkish term, derived from gelin, bride, and means the brides
5 disease, In Greek it is called nymphixx<; it is a kind of
6 cac/tetuia, or hydrops alba. The royal Prince caught it in cor
7 sequence of the measles, and they were in fear for Ins life, as his
8 younger brother had died of the measles, having been improperly
9 treated and bled during the disease.
10 As to the treatment which the Armenian lady employed, the
11 following fact, which I insert, was generally rumored :—she
12 placed the Prince in a heated oven (tandoor), .which caused a
13 profuse perspiration; after that, she fumigated him with the
14 burning flesh of a weasel, also called nymphixxq, and his body
15 wus rubbed with oil. Besides this external treatment, she admi¬
16 nistered to him some medicines, of which the following throe
17 substances were the chief ingredients—ambergris, cochineal
18 insects, and earth-worms. S!m ordered the Prince to observe a
19 very strict regimen, not permitting him meat, or even brolh,
20 only light digestible fish (gelinjik balugi), because of its name
21 being like that of the disease. This disease occurring frequently
22 in the capital, and weasel flesh being a costly thing, the druggists
23 there sell it dried. There are many Christian women, Greeks
24 and Armenians, at Constantinople, practising the cure of that
25 malady, the principal remedy for which, I am told, is Album
26 Grtrcum (white dung of dogs). It is a question whether
27 phosphate of lime might not take the place of that disgusting
28 .remedy, as it consists of nearly the same substances. That
29 disease is said to occur in consequence of wrongly-treated acute
30 eruptions, especially the measles, or in consequence of sudden
31 fright or excessive fatigue: it gradually increases in virulence.
32 It is to be recognised by a, pulsation behind the ears and other
33 parts: the pulse on the wrist is felt more up the firm than usual:
34 the eyes and feet are swollen ; the lips are pale - asthma is felt in
35 walking, with weakness in the knees; finally, a slew consuming
36 fever follows, whirl) is succeeded hy death.