SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF CHOLERA AND OTHER COM

PLAINTS.

One of the reasons for Dr. Scudder's transfer for a while to the Madura Mission was owing to a prevalent idea that it was an unhealthy station, and that the mission families were peculiarly exposed to cholera and other dangerous epidemics; but, after making himself acquainted with the region, he considers it one of the most salubrious in India. "I consider it," he writes, " to be a healthy station, even more so than I thought it before my arrival here. Within a short space of time, it is true, several persons have been swept off by cholera; but the cholera rages every where in India.

"Madura has an advantage over both Madras and Ceylon. In its district are the Pulney Hills, which are very high and cold, and are very healthy. It is even cold enough to produce ice. To these hills we can have access from Madura City in twenty-four hours. They have proved to be very beneficial to children who have been sent there on account of ill health. Some of our invalid brethren have been greatly recruited by a visit of a few weeks to these hills."

Dr. Scudder was eminently successful in his treatment of cholera. He relied on strong doses of opium and calomel, accompanied by the usual frictions with hot sand, etc. His surgical skill also was constantly called into exercise. The blind came to receive sight, and he was almost invariably successful in couching. Enormous tumors also were removed, and the patients sent on their way rejoicing.

HEATHENISM VS. MEDICAL SKILL.

There was a case of a man of high caste affected with a ponderous tumor. It must be removed or he must die. This was the alternative. But the difficulty lay in the fact that he must. submit to the skill and touch of the polluting surgeon. This stood religiously in the way of its removal. The Brahmins were consulted. Much debate was had over the important question. At length the following device was decided upon. The gods must be consulted; but as wood and stone," though they have ears, hear not, and mouths, speak not," there must be some other way contrived to find out their will in this juncture. It was decided to ascertain it as follows: Two bouquets of flowers, one red and the other white, were to be laid before the god; then a little child was to be sent in, and told to pick up one of the bouquets and bring it out. If she selected the red, it was a token that the god said nay to the amputation; if white, yea. The white flowers were brought out, and so, the will of the god having been ascertained, Dr. Scudder proceeded with the amputation, and it was successful. No doubt he improved the opportunity to recommend them to put their trust in something better than wood and stone. He never let an opportunity like this slip to preach Christ and salvation to the applicants for his aid.

K

CHAPTER XIV.

Witchcraft and the Demetrians.-Pulney Hills.-Routine, etc.

In a tour through the Madura district, with a view to preaching the Gospel, distributing books and tracts, and affording medical aid to the poor suffering natives, Dr. Scudder and his family reached a famous bungalow erected by the King of the Tondiman country for the accommodation of such of the English who may wish to visit the chief city of his dominions. It is situated near the borders of Poothacortly. Food, as well as a furnished house, is provided for the guests. The following description of a regal entertainment will interest the reader:

"Some time after my arrival, his majesty's manager, as he is called, intimated that I might have the privilege, if I wished, of visiting the king at his palace. Accompanied by my youngest daughter, about eleven years of age, I went at twelve o'clock to the palace. As I entered the inner court, where his majesty was seated in the middle of his throne, he arose and came toward us. After shaking hands with us, he took my daughter by the arm and conducted her up the steps, and seated her next to him at his right hand. The king's brother waited upon me, and conducted me to a seat nearly opposite to that which my daughter occupied. The steps to the throne were guarded on each side by four officers with staves in

their hands, gilded, as I suppose, with gold and silver. After chatting with his majesty for about fifteen minutes, I proposed to leave. He requested me to stop a little while. Wreaths of flowers were then brought, and put over the necks of my daughter and myself; bracelets of flowers were also put upon our wrists, and so forth, and so forth. After he had sprinkled our pocket-handkerchiefs with sweet-scented water from a silver vase, we sat down a few moments, and then retired. In the afternoon his majesty called to see us at the bungalow, and, after spending an hour, he took a long ride in his carriage with Mrs. Scudder and my daughters. I rode in a buggy with the king's brother. On Saturday I examined the English schools in Poothacortly. The two native free-schools were together in the same place. Afterward, by a particular invitation of his majesty, Mrs. Scudder, my daughters, and myself visited his palace. The same ceremonies with flowers, and so forth, were gone through as were observed with my daughter and myself the day before. His majesty took us through several of the apartments of his immense palace. In one of them he has quite a large English library. He speaks the English language with a great deal of fluency. In the afternoon he again visited us, when I had an excellent opportunity of opening to him the plan of salvation through Christ. I entreated him to read the New Testament, a copy of which, in English, is in his library, and which he says that he keeps merely for the inspection of the English who may visit him. He told me that he was not at liberty to read it, meaning by this that he was under the control of his priests. I told him that he was second to no one but God. In temporal things he

acknowledged that this was the case; in spiritual things he said that there was a difference. His lord bishop, as he calls him, who resides in Coembacoonum, visits him once a year; he is, probably, entirely under his control. During his majesty's visit I performed a surgical operation on one of the eyes of one of his principal men. On Sunday I preached to the native Christians in Poothacortly, and afterward distributed tracts and portions of the Scriptures, and preached to such as visited me during the day. The diseased found me out, and came to me for relief. On Monday afternoon his majesty addressed a letter to me, requesting me to do what I could for the relief of the commander-in-chief of his army. His eyesight is quite dim. This gentleman called upon me at the bungalow. He is quite advanced in years, and will not, I fear, live long. I thought it not proper to do any thing to his eyes. I merely recommended him to take a little nitric acid drink for his general health. While his excellency was with me, a young man, who lives in a village ten miles off, hearing that I was in Poothacortly, came to me for relief. A splinter had entered the transparent part of his eye, and would, probably, soon have destroyed his vision; I took it out, to his great relief. Left Poothacortly on Tuesday morning for Parungkaloor, where I now am. It is about thirteen miles from Poothacortly. His majesty kindly lent me a tent, which I sent on to this place on Monday afternoon. This was pitched, and in readiness for our reception. Immediately on our arrival the villagers flocked to see us. To them I preached the Gospel, and gave books to such as I thought worthy to receive them. These labors I continued until the time had come for me to take my breakfast. After breakfast