1 17
2 years of age, one of whom was Austrian, the other English
3 consul) often regretted the circumstance. At Bagdad there
4 happened the following case : — the wife of an Armenian curate
5 having been for eight months with child, had died in consequence
6 of a scald. On both sides of the belly of the deceased a certain
7 motion was visible for a long time, which caused some people to
8 believe that she was about to bring forth twins, which they
9 wished to save. They sent for me, but, to my grief, they came
10 when all assistance was too late. I cite this unhappy accident
11 of the poor woman, that it may serve as an example to those
12 people who deal in spirits and other combustible articles,
13 and as a warning to them to be cautious in their management.
14 The above-mentioned woman went up stairs late in the night,
15 with a candle in her hand, and entered a room, to pour some
16 brandy from a damejane (a large glass jar, covered with straw).
17 Keeping the light too near to the spirits, they caught fire. In-
18 stead of covering the mouth of the jar, to extinguish the flame,
19 she permitted the damejane to fall on the ground, and, sprinkled
20 as she was with the burning spirits, she fell a victim to the
21 flames. Some time afterwards, she was found in the dark room,
22 in a fainting state, amidst the ashes of her clothes.
23 From Tripoli I went, by order, to Akar, in the mountains,
24 to attend the Prince Ali Essat, who, together with his numerous
25 family (wife, brother, children, and slaves) were infected with
26 the venereal disease, which, although appearing under different
27 forms and complications, may be ranged in the class of syphilis
28 secundaria. At that time I knew no better remedy for that
29 complaint than corrosive sublimate combined with salmiac,
30 accompanied by decoctions of sarsaparilla, china-root, gujac
31 wood, &c.
32 Whilst 1 was at Akar, it was reported that Abdula, Pasha of
33 Acre, had commenced war against the Pasha of Damascus, in
34 consequence of a dispute, and that he had sent troops, the greater
35 part of them Christians (Maronites from the Lebanon) and
36 Druses, under the command of Emir Beshir, towards the holy
37 city of Damascus ( Bab-nl-Knba , or entrance to the Sanctuarv