A public bath is attached to each mosque, for religious ablutions; there are also public baths in various parts of the town, whither the common people resort;[69] the men at one hour and the women at another; when occupied by the latter, a rope is suspended from the cieling of the first apartment, as a signal to the stranger not to proceed farther; and so particular are they in this respect, that a man would not be here permitted to speak to his own wife, such regard have they for their reputation. These baths produce a considerable sum annually. Besides these there are chalybeate, sulphureous, and antimonial baths; there is also a bath celebrated as a specific for the venereal disease, which is said to be an infallible cure in three months. The hospitals which have been mentioned by early writers as being in Fas, must have fallen greatly into decay, as there are now very few; in these the poor are fed, but no surgeon or physician is attached to them; women attend the infirm and sick till they recover, or death terminate their sufferings. There is a Muristan, or mad-house, where deranged people are confined; they are chained down, and superintended by men who use them very harshly; their apartments are disgustingly filthy. There are nearly two hundred caravanseras or inns, called Fondaque, in this city; these buildings are three stories high, and contain from fifty to one hundred apartments, in each of which is a water-cock to supply water for ablution and various other purposes. As the mode of travelling is to carry bedding with one, they do not provide beds in these inns, but leave you to make use of what you have got, providing only a mat: and if you want any refreshment you cannot order a meal, but must purchase it at a cook’s shop, or procure it at the butcher’s, and get it dressed yourself, paying so much per day for your apartment, the master of the Fondaque supplying charcoal and Umjummars, or portable earthen fire-pots, &c. There are a great many corn-mills in Fas; for the inhabitants being mostly poor, and unable to lay up corn sufficient in store, they purchase meal of the millers, who make great profit by it. The rich buy their own corn, and send it to the mills to be ground.