The oriental sore, as observed in India : a report / by T.R. Lewis and D.D. Cunningham.

  • Lewis, T. R. (Timothy Richards), 1841-1886.
Date:
1877
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The oriental sore, as observed in India : a report / by T.R. Lewis and D.D. Cunningham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    with the accompanying note,* from which it will he seen that, even according to all the original independent historians of this Emperor’s reign, there exists no foundation for the general belief that the Emperor suffered from any special cutaneous affection. In another communication to us Mr. Blochmann makes a suggestion as to whether the term may not have originated on account of some supposed resemblance of the sore to a kind of cloth termed ‘ Aurangzeb.’ Be this as it may, there can be no doubt that the association of the disease with the Emperor is based on no authentic ground. Moreover, the Emperor lived far from Delhi for several years before his death. It may further be noted in connection with this matter that the Moghuls, no matter where they lived, used nothing but Ganges water for drinking and cooking purposes. With the view of bringing all these designations under one heading, we have in the present report adopted the term ‘Oriental Sore,’ which has been suggested by Dr. Tilbury Eox, but restrict our observations, as far as the pathology of tlie disease is concerned, to the examples of it met with in this country, especially to those found in Delhi, which are acknowledged to represent the type of the malady as it occurs in India. * “ Mubauiniadiin historiaus do not state that the Emperor Aurangzeh (or Alamgir, as Matlves call him) died of Delhi sores. For his reign we Note by Professor Blochmann re- have only three independent historical works, viz., the gording the Bmperor Aurangzeb. Mn^ir-i-Alamgiri, Khkfi Khan, and the Tabsirat-un N4zirin; and of these Khafi Khan only gives a more detailed account of the Emperor’s illness and death. He says (Edit. Bibl. Indica, 11, page 539):— “ ‘At this time (a short time before Eamaz4n 1117, or January 1705) His Majesty fell seriously ill. He felt an extraordinary and most acute pain in all joints, which extended to every limb. Although he tried to keep down the sickness and continued to decide Government matters, in order not to dishearten the people, his illness continued, and when one or two fainting fits supervened, a great commotion took place among the soldiers and the camp-followers. At last, however (the Maasir-i-Alamgiri says, after ten or tw'elve days). His Majesty’s health again improved.* * * * On the recommendation of Hakim Sddik Khan, His Majesty took doses of chobchint (China root), and continued doing so for three or four weeks. Every day during the treatment, sums of money were given to the poor; and, when the cure was effected, the Hakim was weighed against goldmohurs, which were given to him. He also got the title of Hakim-ul-Mulk ( ‘ physician of the empire ’). By the end of Rajah (November 1705) His Majesty moved to Bergaon. ’ “But during 1118 (1706 A. D.) Aurangzeb continued ill, and his life was embittered by the hostilities that had broken out between his son A’zam Shah and Kam Bakhsb. When the two^prinoes, after the month of EamazdnlllS (January 1707), left the Emperor’s camp for their provinces, ‘the pain His Majesty suffered increased, the fever was very strong, and yet His Majesty, in spite of his illness, performed the five daily prayers.’ The Maasir (Edit. Bibl. Indica, page 520) says : ‘ In the end of Shawwal 1118 (January 1707) the Emperor was again ill, and improved a little. Then followed four or five days of strong fever, and three days later he died on Friday morning, 28th Zi Ka’dah 1118’ (21sb February 1707).^ There are several other historical works, as the Tnzkirah-i-Salatin-i-Chaghtai, the Siyar-ul-Mutaakhkhariu, the TArikh-i-Muzaffari, &c., but they contain nothing new.” 1 Nearly ninety years old.