Travels in Africa, Egypt, and Syria, from the year 1792 to 1798Browne, William George
History
Travels in Africa, Egypt, and Syria, from the year 1792 to 1798
Browne, William George
Egypt -- Description and travel; Sudan -- Description and travel; Syria -- Description and travel
The hydrocele is remarkably frequent in Syria, and, above all, in the
town of Beirût. It is also frequent in Egypt, but most among the
Christians of both countries. Some attribute it to the Nile water;
others to the air; others to the use, or rather abuse of _aqua vitæ_;
others to food of a particular kind: none of which seems to be the
real cause. The natives of both countries have a method of inciding
securely, which discharges the water, and of course produces temporary
relief: but the malady is rapidly regenerated. The only radical cure
is the actual cautery, which, though unskilfully, is yet successfully
applied to such patients as are bold enough to encounter the danger.
_Hæmorrhoides and Fistula in ano._
The hæmorrhoides (_bowasîr_) are very common both in Egypt and
Dar-Fûr. In the latter, they cure them by the cautery. The _Fistula
in ano_ is also seen there, and is cured by a topical application,
but without incision.
_Apoplexy._
I have known two instances in Dar-Fûr of what appeared to me to
be apoplexy. The one was of a male slave, about sixteen years of
age, the other of a man about forty; both of them of plethoric
habit. The boy dropped down senseless, after having been standing
near a large fire in cool weather. Pulsation ceased, and a great
hæmorrhage took place from the nostrils. After one hour and
a half he expired. Bleeding was recommended to the proprietor,
but the by-standers would not consent, saying it was _Sheitân_,
the devil had possessed him. The man was dead before I saw him;
much extravasated blood appeared about him. He had been at work in
the sun. The _coup-de-soleil_, properly so called, does not often
occur. When much exposed in walking or at work, they protect their
head from the ill effect of the rays descending perpendicularly,
by winding their shirt round it, and leaving the trunk uncovered.
_Umbilical ruptures._
Among the slaves, and even free persons in Dar-Fûr, prominencies
of the navel, and umbilical ruptures, of greater or less magnitude,
are very common. Though the chord be remarked to be larger in the
negroes than with us, this circumstance must probably be occasioned by
ignorance, carelesness, or some mismanagement at the birth. It does
not appear to be attended with positive inconvenience. The chord,
when divided, is here cauterized as in Egypt.
_Accouchemens._
The accouchemens of the Arabian females are remarkably easy. There
are stories of the Bedouîn women sitting down near a water and
delivering themselves. Certain it is, that both the Mohammedan and
Coptic females in the cities and towns are equally averse from the
attendance of a man on these occasions; and however unskilful the
accoucheuses may be imagined, few accidents have place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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