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THE PILGRIMS' WAY FROM HARDWAR TO BADRINATH.
840
practitioner, who should be allowed to practise amongst natives under European supervision, these licences being liable to cancellation by the Government or the Medical Council for sufficient It was eventually agreed that a draft scheme should be prepared by the deputation and placed before the Medical Council for further consideration. Among the medical profession, however, in Natal there is a strong feeling that the time has arrived to abolish the recognition of native medicine men altogether unless they qualify properly as medical practitioners, and that the present opportunity is one that the Medical Council should seize for urging on the Government the same measure of protection for the profession in Natal that it enjoys in the other provinces. The abolition of the existing system is certainly desirable, but we fail to see a sufficient ground for replacing it by any such scheme as that proposed by the deputation. reason.
____
THE
PILGRIMS’ WAY FROM BADRINATH.
HARDWAR TO
The journey on foot takes. to their homes. six weeks and the distance to be covered is about 430 miles, mostly over rough and rugged roads, sometimes along the face of dangerous precipices. in an unfamiliar country characterised by frowningmountains, some covered with eternal snows, and through mysterious forests that strike terror into, the hearts of the timid pilgrims from the plains. The Government has improved the roads to a great extent, though something still requires to be done, but the nature of the country renders the long and toilsome route unavoidably difficult and dangerous. Though rapacious beggars, often disguised as fakirs, still infest the roads, the trouble has been much reduced of late by the police. According to, Mr. Adams, the present pressing needs are largely of a sanitary kind, including the protection of the water-supplies used by the pilgrims; these are originally pure, but are much exposed to faecal The provision of a conservancy contamination. staff of sweepers sufficient in numbers to keep’ clean the vicinity of the resting-houses and other places where the pilgrims spend a night is also greatly needed. Further medical aid is. required at points along the pilgrims’ way; for, as has been said, many are old and some fall ill, and nearly all are footsore, bruised, and weary at the end of each day’s march..
MUCH has been done, especially of late years, the British rulers of India to ameliorate the unwholesome conditions in which many of the natives of that country live. Already, also, a good deal of trouble is used to protect the people when Sometimes they are overtaken by the rains, but carrying out their religious ceremonies, and to notwithstanding this and other troubles, it is the facilitate their pilgrimages by the improvement of Hindu custom to struggle on to the last gasp, as. roads, extension of railways, provision of roadside if impelled by fate, to reach their destination. It resting places, erection of temporary lodging accom- is no wonder, then, that diarrhoea, dysentery, and modation at places crowded at times by pilgrims, sometimes cholera take toll of these wayworn and the supply of medical aid and hospital provision travellers; and when they reach the later stages for the sick and dying. Recently, at the desire of of the journey and enter the colder altitudes (the the Indian Government, committees have been at Badrinath is situated at a height of temple appointed in some provinces to inquire into the 10,400 feet) they are liable to suffer from respiratorypossibility of improving the existing sanitary diseases, pneumonia. (There were 3000’ arrangements at fairs and places of pilgrimage. In deaths from cholera among the pilgrims in 1908.) the United Provinces, for example, a committee of The recommendations contained in Mr. Adams’s three members has been appointed-the Sanitary report are likely to be of great service to future’ Commissioner, Major S. A. Harriss, I.ilLS., an pilgrims, and will, no doubt, impress them with experienced member of the Indian Civil Service, the idea that the Government is mindful of their’ Mr. G. F. Adams, together with a native non- welfare and wishful to alleviate, as far as lies official member of some local standing. This in its power, the hardships and sufferings entailedcommittee has already visited a number of by the pilgrimage. places, and a report is to be issued containing a series of recommendations. One of the most THE INTERNATIONAL OPIUM CONVENTION. important pilgrim routes-namely, that from THE White Paper on the International Opium Hardwar to Badrinath-was inspected last summer by Mr. Adams, who was assisted by Captain E. Conference (Cd. 7276) which was issued the other Bisset, I.M.S., Deputy Sanitary Commissioner. An day conveysthe important information that up to, account of this inspection is published by Mr. Adams Dec. 31st, 1913, the only Powers who had not signed in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, Vol. I., the Convention were Austria-Hungary, Servia, No. 3, lately issued, and forms extremely interesting Turkey, Uruguay, Bulgaria, and Greece, and that reading. The pilgrimage is attended annually by the three last-named Powers have declared that they 50,000 to 60,000 persons from all parts of India; but would shortly sign the Convention. It appears, the bulk are poor agriculturists from Oudh, the therefore, that the only Powers which have so fareastern districts of the United Provinces, Rajpu- withheld their consent are Austria-Hungary, Servia, tana, and the Punjab. Most of them are in the and Turkey, and it is to be hoped that they will autumn of life, and many of them are women often yield to persuasion, and in the words of the resoluphysically unable to undergo the hardships of this tion adopted at the second conference at the Hague or dilatory attitude," sincelong and difficult route. Some of the elderly women " alter their negative " who can afford the expense are carried in baskets their abstention would prejudice most seriously or creels on the backs of coolies hired in the plains. the humanitarian ends sought by the Convention." The start is usually made from Hardwar, where the It has been stated that at least one of these three pilgrim before setting out pays his vows to the Powers has now intimated its intention of coming sacred Ganges river, and then proceeds on foot to into line with the majority, but at present this visit the temples of Vishnu and Siva, situated would appear to lack official confirmation. Therespectively at Badrinath and Kedarnath in terms of the Convention were stated and discussed the Himalayan district of Garhwal, and then in THE LANCET of Feb. 17th, 1912 (p. 441), and returning to the nearest rail-head at Ramnagar, attention was drawn to the importance of the fact where a train service is available for return that Switzerland, Peru, and Bolivia-all of which
by
feeble,
including
____
practitioner, who should be allowed to practise amongst natives under European supervision, these licences being liable to cancellation by the Government or the Medical Council for sufficient It was eventually agreed that a draft scheme should be prepared by the deputation and placed before the Medical Council for further consideration. Among the medical profession, however, in Natal there is a strong feeling that the time has arrived to abolish the recognition of native medicine men altogether unless they qualify properly as medical practitioners, and that the present opportunity is one that the Medical Council should seize for urging on the Government the same measure of protection for the profession in Natal that it enjoys in the other provinces. The abolition of the existing system is certainly desirable, but we fail to see a sufficient ground for replacing it by any such scheme as that proposed by the deputation. reason.
____
THE
PILGRIMS’ WAY FROM BADRINATH.
HARDWAR TO
The journey on foot takes. to their homes. six weeks and the distance to be covered is about 430 miles, mostly over rough and rugged roads, sometimes along the face of dangerous precipices. in an unfamiliar country characterised by frowningmountains, some covered with eternal snows, and through mysterious forests that strike terror into, the hearts of the timid pilgrims from the plains. The Government has improved the roads to a great extent, though something still requires to be done, but the nature of the country renders the long and toilsome route unavoidably difficult and dangerous. Though rapacious beggars, often disguised as fakirs, still infest the roads, the trouble has been much reduced of late by the police. According to, Mr. Adams, the present pressing needs are largely of a sanitary kind, including the protection of the water-supplies used by the pilgrims; these are originally pure, but are much exposed to faecal The provision of a conservancy contamination. staff of sweepers sufficient in numbers to keep’ clean the vicinity of the resting-houses and other places where the pilgrims spend a night is also greatly needed. Further medical aid is. required at points along the pilgrims’ way; for, as has been said, many are old and some fall ill, and nearly all are footsore, bruised, and weary at the end of each day’s march..
MUCH has been done, especially of late years, the British rulers of India to ameliorate the unwholesome conditions in which many of the natives of that country live. Already, also, a good deal of trouble is used to protect the people when Sometimes they are overtaken by the rains, but carrying out their religious ceremonies, and to notwithstanding this and other troubles, it is the facilitate their pilgrimages by the improvement of Hindu custom to struggle on to the last gasp, as. roads, extension of railways, provision of roadside if impelled by fate, to reach their destination. It resting places, erection of temporary lodging accom- is no wonder, then, that diarrhoea, dysentery, and modation at places crowded at times by pilgrims, sometimes cholera take toll of these wayworn and the supply of medical aid and hospital provision travellers; and when they reach the later stages for the sick and dying. Recently, at the desire of of the journey and enter the colder altitudes (the the Indian Government, committees have been at Badrinath is situated at a height of temple appointed in some provinces to inquire into the 10,400 feet) they are liable to suffer from respiratorypossibility of improving the existing sanitary diseases, pneumonia. (There were 3000’ arrangements at fairs and places of pilgrimage. In deaths from cholera among the pilgrims in 1908.) the United Provinces, for example, a committee of The recommendations contained in Mr. Adams’s three members has been appointed-the Sanitary report are likely to be of great service to future’ Commissioner, Major S. A. Harriss, I.ilLS., an pilgrims, and will, no doubt, impress them with experienced member of the Indian Civil Service, the idea that the Government is mindful of their’ Mr. G. F. Adams, together with a native non- welfare and wishful to alleviate, as far as lies official member of some local standing. This in its power, the hardships and sufferings entailedcommittee has already visited a number of by the pilgrimage. places, and a report is to be issued containing a series of recommendations. One of the most THE INTERNATIONAL OPIUM CONVENTION. important pilgrim routes-namely, that from THE White Paper on the International Opium Hardwar to Badrinath-was inspected last summer by Mr. Adams, who was assisted by Captain E. Conference (Cd. 7276) which was issued the other Bisset, I.M.S., Deputy Sanitary Commissioner. An day conveysthe important information that up to, account of this inspection is published by Mr. Adams Dec. 31st, 1913, the only Powers who had not signed in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, Vol. I., the Convention were Austria-Hungary, Servia, No. 3, lately issued, and forms extremely interesting Turkey, Uruguay, Bulgaria, and Greece, and that reading. The pilgrimage is attended annually by the three last-named Powers have declared that they 50,000 to 60,000 persons from all parts of India; but would shortly sign the Convention. It appears, the bulk are poor agriculturists from Oudh, the therefore, that the only Powers which have so fareastern districts of the United Provinces, Rajpu- withheld their consent are Austria-Hungary, Servia, tana, and the Punjab. Most of them are in the and Turkey, and it is to be hoped that they will autumn of life, and many of them are women often yield to persuasion, and in the words of the resoluphysically unable to undergo the hardships of this tion adopted at the second conference at the Hague or dilatory attitude," sincelong and difficult route. Some of the elderly women " alter their negative " who can afford the expense are carried in baskets their abstention would prejudice most seriously or creels on the backs of coolies hired in the plains. the humanitarian ends sought by the Convention." The start is usually made from Hardwar, where the It has been stated that at least one of these three pilgrim before setting out pays his vows to the Powers has now intimated its intention of coming sacred Ganges river, and then proceeds on foot to into line with the majority, but at present this visit the temples of Vishnu and Siva, situated would appear to lack official confirmation. Therespectively at Badrinath and Kedarnath in terms of the Convention were stated and discussed the Himalayan district of Garhwal, and then in THE LANCET of Feb. 17th, 1912 (p. 441), and returning to the nearest rail-head at Ramnagar, attention was drawn to the importance of the fact where a train service is available for return that Switzerland, Peru, and Bolivia-all of which
by
feeble,
including
____