1 95
2 Azez-oo-Deen, exercising such magic influence on the maharajah,
3 that only by addressing myself to him could I obtain any
4 decision according to my desires. I reminded the fakeer of his
5 own words, that such minute doses could not be hurtful, even
6 if it should be poison. Besides, I observed, that it was not
7 every fever, especially when appearing in so mild a form, that
8 could be of bad consequence, as nature sometimes cures diseases
9 by re-action in the frame ; and that, under such circumstances , it
10 was advisable to lay aside all medicine , and await the result.
11 But he objected to that, saying that the maharajah was too
12 feeble to endure such a fever. “ But,” continued he, “let us hear
13 what opinion the other physicians have.” All my arguments
14 availed nothing. The consultation, at which the fakeer pre-
15 sided, was composed of a dozen hakims from Peshawur and
16 Lahore, Hindoo physicians, astrologers, &c., each of whom
17 imagined that he possessed the deepest knowledge of medical
18 art. Most of them carried large books, to cover their want
19 of real learning. In fine, they agreed unanimously to ad-
20 minister to the patient a majoon (electuary), of which jowa-
21 hirad (precious stones) constituted the principal ingredient.
22 The fakeer himself prepared and administered it to the patient ;
23 but in less than a fortnight the maharajah gave up his
24 temporal life. He died at the fortress in my presence,
25 upon which the minister ordered the gates to be shut, but I
26 readily obtained his permission to absent myself. The fakeer,
27 who exercised great influence in the household of the royal
28 court, and who had begun his career at Lahore as a barber,
29 with a few boxes of ointment, did not live long after his
30 patron, Bunjeet Sing. Azeez-oo-Deen — of Arabian origin,
31 and descended from the Ansari Arabs of the desert — was the
32 oracle of llunjeet Sing. He, the prime-minister Dhyan Sing,
33 and Dewan-Deena-Nauth minister of finance, constituted the
34 triad of which the privy-council of the king was composed.
35 The latter has been recently promoted to the rank of rajah by
36 the English.
37 The small doses of opium (every afternoon one pill of 3 grs.)