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18   Art of Travel.

Poisoning.-The first thing is to give a powerful emetic, that whatever poison still remains unabsorbed in the stomach, may be thrown up. Use soap-suds or gunpowder (see Emetics) if proper emetics are not at hand. If there be violent pains and gripings, or retchings, give plenty of water to make the vomitings more easy. Next, do your best to combat the symptoms that are caused by the poison which was absorbed before the emetic acted. Thus, if the man's feet are cold and numbed, put hot stones against them, and wrap them up warmly. If he be drowsy, heavy, and stupid, give brandy and strong coffee, and try to rouse him. There is nothing more to be done, save to avoid doing mischief.

Fleas. Italian flea-powder,' sold,, in the East, is really efficacious. It is the powdered " Pire oti " (or flea-bane), mentioned in Curzon's `Armenia' as growing in that country ; it has since become an important article of export. A correspondent writes to me, " I have often found. a light cotton or linen bag a great safeguard against the attacks of fleas. I used to creep into it, draw the loop tight round my neck, and was thus able to set legions of them at defiance."

Vermin on the Person.-I quote the following extract from Hue's ` Travels in Tartary' :" We had now been travelling for nearly six weeks, and still wore the same clothing we had assumed on our departure. The incessant pricklings with which we were harassed, sufficiently indicated that our attire was peopled with the filthy vermin to which the Chinese and Tartars are familiarly accustomed ; but which, with Europeans, are objects of horror and disgust. Before quitting Tchagan-Kouren, we had bought in a chemist's shop a few sapeks'-worth of mercury. We now made with it a prompt and specific remedy against the lice. We had formerly got the receipt from some Chinese ; and, as it may be useful to others, we think it right to describe it here. You take half an ounce of mercury, which you mix with old tea-leaves previously reduced to paste by mastication. To render this softer, you generally add saliva ; water could not have the same effect. You must afterwards bruise and stir it a while, so that the mercury may be divided into little balls as fine as dust, (I presume the blue pill is a pretty exact equivalent

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