Volume 1

Professional anecdotes, or ana of medical literature.

Date:
1825
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Professional anecdotes, or ana of medical literature. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    33 ther he is carried, the place of his retreat being only known to his most confidential friends. The late king of Naimbanna, in his last illness, was removed from his town, on the island of Roban- na, (an island at the mouth of Bunch river) to a small island a few miles distant. A semicir- cular piece of ground was cleared from the un- derwood, the larger trees being left standing, and the only avenue to it was defended by the most potent gree-grees that could be procured. A small hut, about eight or ten feet square, and about six feet high, was formed of stakes driven into the ground, the sides and roof being com- posed of grass and flags, neatly woven like a basket, but not so close as to prevent the access of light; in the midst was left standing the stem of a young tree, lopped about five feet from the ground, and upon the top of which was placed a gree-gree. The old king was laid upon mats spread upon the ground, surrounded by his own family. On one side stood the physician (priest) who had in his hand a gree-gree of a very un- couth form, about four feet long, and ornament- ed with bells, and pieces of iron, which he occa- sionally jingled with much self-complacency, making a most distracting noise. A blister was applied to the patient, and the medicines, which I had taken with me, administered; but, not- withstanding these, and the gree-gree used by