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 Ideas for Further Exploration

12. Communication and Collaboration in Professional Nursing

The Therapeutic Use of Self

Communication Theory

The Development of Human Communication

Criteria for Successful Communication

Developing Effective Communication Skills

Effective Communication with Other Providers

Interprofessional Collaboration: Prescription for Improved Patient

Outcomes

Concepts and Challenges

Ideas for Further Exploration

13. Nurses, Patients, and Families: Caring at the Intersection of

Health, Illness, and Culture
Acute and Chronic Illness

Adjusting to Illness

Illness Behaviors

The Impact of Illness on Patients and Families

The Impact of Caregiving on Nurses

Concepts and Challenges

Ideas for Further Exploration

14. Health Care in the United States

Today’s Health Care System

Financing Health Care

8
 Health Care Reform and Universal Access

Concepts and Challenges

Ideas for Further Exploration

15. Political Activism in Nursing: Communities, Organizations,

Government
Policy and Politics: Not Just in Washington, D.C

Professional Organizations: Strength in Numbers

Benefits of Joining a Professional Organization

Political Activism in Government

Getting Involved

Nursing Needs Your Contribution

Concepts and Challenges

Ideas for Further Exploration

16. Nursing’s Challenge: To Continue to Evolve

The Challenge: Caring for Yourself

The Challenge: Caring for the Profession

The Challenge: Caring for the Environment

The Final Challenge: Unite and Act

Concepts and Challenges

Ideas for Further Exploration

Epilogue

Glossary

9
Index

10
Copyright

3251 Riverport Lane

St. Louis, Missouri 63043

PROFESSIONAL NURSING: CONCEPTS & CHALLENGES,

EIGHTH EDITION ISBN: 978-0-323-43112-5
Copyright © 2017 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in

any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval
system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Details
on how to seek permission, further information about the
Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangements with
organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the
Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website:
www.elsevier.com/permissions.

This book and the individual contributions contained in it are

protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be
noted herein).

NANDA International, Inc. Nursing Diagnoses: Definitions &

Classifications 2015-2017, Tenth Edition. Edited by T. Heather
Herdman and Shigemi Kamitsuru. 2014 NANDA International, Inc.
Published 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Companion website:
www.wiley.com/go/nursingdiagnoses. In order to make safe and
effective judgments using NANDA-I diagnoses it is essential that

11
nurses refer to the definitions and defining characteristics of the
diagnoses listed in this work.

Notices
Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing.
As new research and experience broaden our understanding,
changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical
treatment may become necessary.

Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own

experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any
information, methods, compounds, or experiments described
herein. In using such information or methods they should be
mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including
parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.

With respect to any drug or pharmaceutical products identified,

readers are advised to check the most current information
provided (i) on procedures featured or (ii) by the manufacturer of
each product to be administered, to verify the recommended dose
or formula, the method and duration of administration, and
contraindications. It is the responsibility of practitioners, relying
on their own experience and knowledge of their patients, to make
diagnoses, to determine dosages and the best treatment for each
individual patient, and to take all appropriate safety precautions.

To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the
authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any
injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of
products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or
operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas
contained in the material herein.

Previous editions copyrighted 2014, 2011, 2007, 2005, 2001, 1997,

1993

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Black, Beth Perry, author.
Title: Professional nursing : concepts & challenges / Beth Perry
Black.

12
Description: Eighth edition. | Maryland Heights, Missouri :
Elsevier/Saunders, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and
index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016001024 | ISBN 9780323431125 (pbk. : alk.
paper)
Subjects: | MESH: Nursing | Vocational Guidance
Classification: LCC RT82 | NLM WY 16.1 | DDC 610.73068--dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016001024

Senior Content Strategist: Sandra Clark

Content Development Specialist: Jennifer Wade
Publishing Services Manager: Jeff Patterson
Senior Project Manager: Anne Konopka
Design Direction: Ryan Cook

Printed in China

Last digit is the print number: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

13
Dedication

I dedicate this edition to the memory of my beloved husband, Tal,

who lived his life in grace, peace, and love.

—BPB

14
Reviewers
Michele Bunning, RN, MSN, Associate Professor, Good
Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science, Cincinnati, Ohio

Nancy Diede, EdD, MS, RN, PHCNS-BC, CNE, Department

Head, Health Sciences, Associate Professor, Rogers State
University, Claremore, Oklahoma

Christine K. Finn, PhD, RN, FNP, MS, FNE, Associate Professor,

Nursing Department, Regis University, Denver, Colorado

Eileen M. Kaslatas, MSN, RN, CNE, Professor, Nursing

Department, Macomb Community College, Clinton Township,
Michigan

Bobbi Shatto, PhD(c), RN, CNL, Assistant Professor, School of

Nursing, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO

15
Preface
Nursing is evolving, as is health care in the United States. With the
debates and discussions, lawsuits, and legislation that surround the
Affordable Care Act, health care has become a central feature of
American political and social discourse. With their increasing
response to calls to advance their education and their strong record
of safety and quality care, nurses are positioned to take a leadership
role in the provision of health care in the United States.
To be effective leaders, nurses must master knowledge about
health and illness and human responses to each, think critically and
creatively, participate in robust interprofessional collaborations, be
both caring and professional, and grapple with ethical dilemmas
that are complex and that challenge providers in a time when
health care resources are not unlimited. As leaders, nurses must
have an understanding of their history, because the past informs
the present, and have a vision for the future that builds on the
lessons of today.
The eighth edition of Professional Nursing: Concepts & Challenges
reflects my commitment to present current and relevant
information. Since the last edition, the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
has withstood repeated attempts in Congress to repeal it.
Importantly, the ACA has withstood two significant challenges
brought before the U.S. Supreme Court. The provisions of the ACA
have been implemented, and more Americans than ever have
health insurance. The 2016 presidential election is 1 year away as
this is being written, with one side arguing for the repeal of the
ACA, while one candidate on the other side is arguing for a single-
payer health care system. This early posturing almost certainly

16
foreshadows a continuing lively debate on critical questions of
health care in America.
In this edition, the order of the chapters has been changed
considerably to reflect a more cohesive view of nursing, its history,
education, conceptual and theoretical bases, and the place of
nursing in the U.S. health care system. Faculty are encouraged,
however, to use the chapters in any order that reflects their own
pedagogical and theoretical approaches. This edition has additional
examples from nurses, especially textboxes featuring compelling
stories from nurses who have shaped their careers in creative,
innovative ways. The effects of the Internet and social media on
nursing are addressed extensively with regard to their legal and
ethical implications and their role in professional socialization and
communication. There are fewer figures and statistics than in
previous editions because students respond more favorably to
narratives and examples. With the easy and free availability of
health-related statistics from .gov websites, I decided that today’s
students would benefit more from narrative and less from pages of
statistics. I have rarely met a nurse engaged in practice who didn’t
start a story with, “I had a patient once who…” These narratives
teach us about what is important in nursing.
Throughout the book, I have been very careful to be inclusive, to
avoid heteronormative and ethnocentric language, to use examples
that avoid stereotypes of all types, and to include photographs that
capture the wonderful diversity of American nursing.
A note about references: older references refer to classic papers or
texts. There are a few references that don’t reach the level of
“classic” texts, but the author turned a phrase in a clever or elegant
way that needed to be cited. No manner of updated paper could
replace these interesting comments or points of view. Research and
clinical works are relevant and contemporary.
As with the last three editions, the eighth edition is written at a
level appropriate for use in early courses in baccalaureate curricula,
in RN-to-BSN and RN-to-MSN courses, and as a resource for
practicing nurses and graduate students. An increasing number of
students in nursing programs are seeking second undergraduate
degrees, such as midlife adults seeking a career change and others

17
who bring considerable experience to the learning situation.
Accordingly, every effort has been made to present material that is
comprehensive enough to challenge users at all levels without
overwhelming beginning students. The text has been written to be
engaging and interesting, and care has been taken to minimize
jargon that is so prevalent in health care. A comprehensive glossary
is provided to assist in developing and refining a professional
vocabulary. As in previous editions, key terms are highlighted in
the text itself. All terms in color print are in the Glossary. The
Glossary also contains basic terms that are not necessarily used in
the text but may be unfamiliar to students new to nursing.
Some features from previous editions have gotten significant
“makeovers.” Some self-assessment exercises were retained, but the
language was updated. Several chapters contain Challenge boxes
that typically, but not always, are related to an issue of culture.
Some older textboxes from previous editions have been eliminated
to make room for fresher content. To be consistent with the focus of
the book—concepts and challenges—I have changed the former
“Key Points” content to address major concepts from each chapter
with a corresponding challenge for the student or for nursing as a
profession. I have included “Ideas for Further Exploration” to
replace “Critical Thinking Questions” with the hope that these
ideas will generate a spark of curiosity in students as they consider
some of the challenging aspects of the profession.
I sincerely hope that the eighth edition continues to reach the
high standards set forth by Kay Chitty, who edited the first four
editions of this book. I hope that students and faculty will find this
edition readable, informative, and thought provoking. More than
anything, I hope that Professional Nursing: Concepts & Challenges,
Eighth Edition, will in some way contribute to the continuing
evolution of the profession of nursing.
Beth Perry Black

18
Acknowledgments
With each new edition of Professional Nursing: Concepts & Challenges,
I find myself increasingly in awe of the intelligence, creativity,
humility, and work ethic of the nurses who continue to inspire me.
I am so grateful to the many people whose support and
assistance have made this book possible, each in different ways:
• To the faculty who used earlier editions and shared their helpful
suggestions to make this book better.
• To students who sent e-mails, expressing their gratitude for an
interesting and readable textbook while offering ideas for
improvement.
• To the many nurses who were generous in sharing their
experiences when I asked for an example or a story. Nurses
narrate their work like no others.
• To my colleagues in the School of Nursing at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and to our extraordinary nursing
students and alumni who make us proud.
• To Trish Wright and Rana Limbo, my “grief buddies,” who are
also my dear friends and writing companions.
• To my friend Paula Anderson, who assisted me in the preparation
of this text and whose warm, generous spirit infuses everything
she does with light.
• To my dear friends Jen and Rick Palmer, whose loving support
has been and continues to be a lifeline.
• To my incredibly smart, funny, and supportive daughters,
Amanda Black and Kylie Johnson, and to their respective
partners, Hudson Santos, Jr., and Pierce Johnson, who serve to
both buoy and anchor them. Thanks, schweeties!

19
I am deeply indebted to each of you.

20
1

Nursing in Today’s
Evolving Health Care
Environment

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After studying this chapter, students will be able to:

• Describe the demographic profile of registered nurses today.
• Recognize the wide range of settings and roles in which today’s
registered nurses practice.
• Identify evolving practice opportunities for nurses.
• Consider nursing roles in various practice settings.
• Explain the roles and education of advanced practice nurses.

To enhance your understanding of this chapter, try the Student

Exercises on the Evolve site at
http://evolve.elsevier.com/Black/professional.

21
 Chapter opening photo used with permission from iStockphoto.

Nurses comprise the largest segment of the health care workforce in

the United States and have increasing opportunities to practice in
an enormous variety of settings. The profession of nursing is more
than ever requiring the education of well-trained, flexible, and
knowledgeable nurses who can practice in today’s evolving health
care environment. Recent legislation, demands of patients as
consumers of health care, and the need to control costs while
optimizing outcomes have had a great influence on the way that
health care is delivered in the United States. Nursing is evolving to
meet these demands.
One of the most notable influences on today’s health care
environment is the Affordable Care Act (ACA), passed in 2010 by
the 111th Congress. The ACA is actually two laws—the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (PL 111-148) and the Health
Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act (PL 111-152).
Signed into law by President Barack Obama, this combination of
laws is sometimes referred to as simply “health care reform” by the
public. These laws provide for incremental but progressive change
to the way that Americans access and pay for their health care. In

22
an important report of the opportunities this legislation affords
nurses, the Committee on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Initiative on the Future of Nursing at the Institute of Medicine
noted that “nurses have a considerable opportunity to act as full
partners with other health professionals and to lead in the
improvement and redesign of the health care system and its
practice environment” (Institute of Medicine, 2010, pp. 1–2). This
important initiative continues to have a profound influence on the
evolution of nursing and nursing education since its publication.
Welcome to nursing. You are entering this great profession at an
exciting time in our history. Writing about “nursing today” poses a
challenge, because what is current today may have already changed
by the time you are reading this. What does not change, however, is
the commitment of nurses to what Rosenberg (1995) referred to as
“the care of strangers”—professional caring, learned through
focused education and deliberate socialization (Storr, 2010). In other
words, you will be taught to think like a nurse and to do well those
things that nurses do. You will become a nurse.
In this chapter, you will learn some basic information about
today’s nursing workforce: who nurses are, the settings where they
practice, and the patients for whom they are providing care. You
will also be introduced to some nurses who have had intriguing
experiences and opportunities that you may not know are even
possible. One of the best features of nursing is the flexible set of
skills that you will develop and, therefore, the wide variety of
experiences that await you as your begin your career as a
professional registered nurse (RN).

Nursing in the United States Today

High-quality, culturally competent nursing care depends on a
culturally diverse nursing workforce (American Association of
Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2014a). The need to enhance diversity
in nursing through the recruitment of underrepresented groups
into the profession is a priority (AACN, 2014b). Understanding the
composition of the nursing workforce is necessary to identify
underrepresented groups and to recognize workforce trends such
as age of nurses in practice and percentage of licensed nurses
holding jobs in nursing.

23
 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services responded
to this need by conducting a comprehensive survey of the nursing
workforce every 4 years, beginning in 1977. Known as the National
Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN), this effort gave
policy makers, educators, and other nurse leaders data about the
workforce, allowing them to make informed decisions about
allocation of resources, development of programs, and recruitment
of nurses. The final NSSRN was conducted in 2008 and results were
published in 2010. The federal government has since discontinued
this very useful survey. The final version of the 2008 federal nursing
workforce survey The Registered Nurse Population: Findings from the
2008 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, 2010) is available as a .pdf file in a
direct link:
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/rnsurveys/rnsurveyfinal.pdf.
In response to the discontinuation of the NSSRN and the ongoing
need to understand the nursing workforce, in 2013 the National
Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and the Forum of
State Nursing Workforce Centers (FSNWC) combined efforts to
conduct a comprehensive national survey of RNs (Budden, Zhong,
Moulton, et al., 2013). In this chapter, data from the 2013 NCSBN
and FSNWC survey are presented in conjunction with other sources
of workforce data, including the 2008 NSSRN data, to provide you
with a thumbnail sketch of nursing, specifically focusing on the
number of nurses in the workforce, as well as their gender, age,
race, ethnicity, and educational levels.

Nurses in the Workforce

Registered nurses (RNs) are the largest group of health care
providers in the United States, and in the 2000s grew by 24.1%
(Health Resources and Services Administration, 2013). More than 4
million individuals held licenses as RNs in 2013 (Budden et al.,
2013). That same year, approximately 2.8 million nurses were
currently working (Health Resources and Services Administration,
2013). In the 2008 NSSRN data, 90% of nurses younger than 50
years old were employed in nursing either full or part time and
fewer than half of the nurses older than 65 were working in
nursing. A significant percentage of nurses held two nursing

24
positions. Among those working full time in nursing, 12% had a
second nursing position; 14% of those working part time in nursing
held a second nursing position (U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, 2010).

Gender
Nursing remains a profession dominated by women; however, the
percentage of men in nursing increased by 50% between 2000 and
2008 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010).
Overall, 7% of nurses are men. Among NCSBN/FSNWC survey
respondents licensed before 2000, 5% were men. Of those licensed
between 2010 and 2013, 11% were men (Budden et al., 2013).
In 2014, men comprised 11.7% of students in entry-level bachelor
of science in nursing (BSN) programs (AACN, 2015a). Male and
female RNs were equally likely to have a bachelor’s or higher
degree in nursing or nursing-related fields (49.9% and 50.3%,
respectively). Men, however, were more likely than women to have
a bachelor’s or higher degree in nursing and any nonnursing field
(62% vs. 55%). A higher percentage of the men work in hospitals
(76% vs. 62%). At 41%, men are overrepresented in the advanced
practice role of certified registered nurse anesthetists. Among all
other job titles held by men, staff nurse and administration have
proportional representation, with about 7% of these positions held
by men. Nurse practitioners and “other” positions (e.g., consultant,
clinical nurse leader, informatics, researcher) are slightly less
proportional, with 6% of these positions held by men. Interestingly,
men hold only about 3.8% of faculty positions.

Age
The future of any profession depends on the infusion of youth, and
the steady increase in the age of the nursing workforce has been a
concern. In the past decade, however, the rate of aging of nurses in
the workforce has slowed (U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, 2010). This is a result of the increased number of working
RNs who are under age 30, which offsets the increasing number of
nurses age 60 or older who continue to work. The rise in the
number of nurses under age 30 is attributed to the increased

25
Another random document with
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 I learnt afterwards that as the Shah, if he sits himself, is obliged to
give seats to the ambassadors, he avoided it by not sitting down, but
lounged in the manner described. There was nothing particularly
striking in the room; it was much over-decorated, and in the most
barbarous taste; the carpets, however, were valuable.
The ambassadors now all gave the king a military salute, and so
did the suites and hangers-on. To this his Majesty returned a not
over-gracious nod. The king now addressed them in turn, and each
ambassador replied through his dragoman or Oriental secretary,
replying to the questions as to his sovereign’s health, and
congratulating the Shah on his festival. Mr. Alison presented a new
secretary, and introduced Colonel G⸺, who was favourably
received, and in fluent and graceful Persian he replied to the Shah’s
queries, and made somewhat of a speech on telegraph matters,
which was also graciously received, the Shah assenting frequently.
The king now unceremoniously left the room, and every one saluted.
We all hurried off to see the great ceremony of the public salaam.
We were ushered pell-mell into a room that commanded on one side
the court of audience, on the other the public square of Teheran. In
the former were drawn up in rows, according to their degree, all the
officers of state, all the governors of provinces, all the generals and
servants of the Crown, the secretaries of various departments, and
the foreign employés, among whom I saw Mr. D⸺ and one of the
signallers, of the Telegraph Department.
We were told that in a few moments the Shah would lighten their
countenances by appearing in an open balcony above our heads.
The royal “farrashes,” or carpet-spreaders, armed with long wands
of unpeeled boughs, who surrounded the courtyard, began to beat
the few unauthorized onlookers at the far corners, and on a sudden
the whole crowd bowed nearly to the ground—a ceremony in which
the unfortunate Mr. D⸺ had to join nolens volens. This told us that
the king had shown himself.
The prostration was repeated a second and a third time. Then the
Prime Minister, having his rod of office, with many bows, mumbled a
speech to his Majesty; to which the king replied in a few words in a
loud voice.
A priest in a green turban (being a Syud or descendant of the
prophet) now recited what was apparently a long prayer: a dress of
honour on a tray was immediately, by the king’s order, produced, and
placed on his shoulders; and this was no empty compliment, for I
was told by an experienced onlooker that the cloak was worth one
hundred pounds or more.
Then a poet recited an ode, and got also a dress of honour; and
then, at the royal command, men bearing trays of gold coin
distributed handfuls to the officials, the number and size of the
handful being in proportion to rank; the bigger people, who stood in
the front ranks, getting the larger and more numerous handfuls.
Even Mr. D⸺, who was in a back row, got some seventy kerans
(three pounds). The coins were gold, and very thin, and are instituted
for this special occasion; they are called “shahis,” which is, literally,
“king’s money,” and were worth some one shilling and eightpence
each. During the excitement and scramble that the distribution
occasioned, the king retired, and the orderly ranks of Government
servants became at once a seething crowd.
We lookers-on now crossed the room and stood at a balcony
which commanded the public square. This was kept clear by a
double line of soldiers all in new clothes for the occasion. The space
was occupied by dancers, buffoons, jugglers, wrestlers, sword-and-
buckler men, and owners of fighting sheep and bulls, with their
animals; while in front of the big pond or hauz, immediately below
our balcony, stood twenty wretched Jews in rags and tatters,
prepared to be thrust head over heels into the water for the royal
delectation.
The king’s farrashes kept up showers of good-humoured blows on
an equally good-humoured crowd at all the entrances. Not less than
fourteen to sixteen thousand people were present; all were on the
tiptoe of expectation.
Suddenly a cannon from among a battery in the square was
discharged, and the king appeared. The entire crowd bowed to the
ground three times; then the people shouted and cheered, the
dancers went through their antics, the buffoons began their jokes,
some forty pairs of wrestlers struggled for mastery, among whom
was the king’s giant, seven feet eight inches high; gymnasts threw
up and caught huge clubs, and showed feats of strength and skill;
the swordsmen engaged in cut and thrust, hacking each other’s
bucklers; the jugglers showed their sleight of hand; the fighting bulls
and sheep rushed at each other; the royal bands and the regimental
ones struck up different tunes; the zambūreks (or camel artillery)
discharged their little cannon; the Jews were cast into the tank, and
on coming out were again thrown in by the farrashes and
executioners; while the rest of the cannon fired away merrily in every
direction; the bulls got among the crowd, the women shrieked and
the men shouted.
Handfuls of gold coin were thrown to the various performers, for
which they violently scrambled; and amidst the smoke and cries the
king retired.
The royal salaam was over, and we struggled through the crowd
within the palace to our horses at the gate, and rode home through a
happy mob, having assisted at a great Persian festival.
I dined at the Russian, English, and French embassies several
times at Teheran. As the entertainments were European there is
nothing to be described.
 CHAPTER V.
HAMADAN.

Start for Hamadan—Bedding—Luggage makes the man—Stages—Meet Pierson

—Istikhbals—Badraghah—Pierson’s house—Hamadan wine—Mode of
storing it—My horses—Abu Saif Mirza—His stratagem—Disinterested
services—Persian logic—Pierson’s horse’s death—Horses put through their
paces—I buy Salts and Senna—The prince’s opinion—Money table—Edict.

A few days after the great festival Major S⸺, who was going
down country, kindly allowed me to accompany him as far as
Hamadan. We started one afternoon, doing the two first stages by
sunset, and stopping at the post-house at Karneabad.
The weather was fine, the roads and horses good. I had by this
time learnt to ride by balance only, and acquired the art of remaining
in an upright position on my steed whenever he suddenly dropped as
if shot, instead of going over his head by the force of momentum.
The Major had a few tinned provisions, which it had been impossible
to get in a place like Tiflis, and with a roast fowl or two our
commissariat was well provided. The intense cold was over, and I
was glad to use my goggles to protect my eyes during the middle of
the day. We also never started before the light was good, which
made an immense difference in our comfort.
I had invested in a native bridle, the severe bit of which enabled
me thoroughly to control my horses, and, being the one they were
used to, did not keep them in the perpetual state of fret that the
European bit did. My saddle-bags, too, were well packed and exactly
the same weight, so that I never had to get down to put them level,
and they never annoyed the horse.
I had my rugs, four in number, and the same size, sewn together
down one side and at the bottom, so that whichever side I might
have to the draught, and of this there is always plenty, I could have
one blanket under me, three over me, and the sewn edge to the
wind, while, as the bottom was sewn up, the blankets could never
shift, and the open side could be always kept to the wall. This
arrangement, an original one, I have never altered, for in hot
weather, by lying on say three blankets, one only was over me.
There is, however, one thing that I soon found out in travelling. To
thoroughly rest oneself it is needful to, firstly, undress and wear a
night-jacket and pyjamas; and, secondly, to sleep in a sheet. The
addition to one’s comfort is immense, particularly in warm weather,
while the extra weight of a sheet is not worth considering. An air
pillow, too, is a great luxury.
I have been in the habit of no longer using a waterproof sheet to
keep my blankets dry, but of rolling them tightly up, and then
strapping them and cramming them into an india-rubber soldier’s
hold-all, which ensures a dry bed, and straps handily to the saddle.
This hold-all was the cause of a rather amusing adventure.
On coming home once on leave, in a great hurry, I had left Persia
with only my hold-all, having given my saddle-bags and road kit to
my servant. I had come direct from Tzaritzin on the Volga to
Boulogne without stopping, but had to wait some hours on the tidal
boat before she started. I stepped on board and asked one of the
men where the steward was.
“Oh, he ain’t aboard yet, mate.”
“Can you get me a wash?”
“Come along a’ me, mate.” The man took me down to what
seemed the fo’cassel, and placed a bucket of water before me.
I said, “Come, is this the accommodation you give your first-class
passengers?”
The man roared with laughter.
“No yer doant, mate, no yer doant. I never seed no first-class
passengers with luggage like that,” pointing to my hold-all; and it was
only on producing my coupon book, that the man could be
persuaded I was not a deck passenger, and to take me to the saloon
aft.
As I was covered with coal dust, and generally grimy—the
opportunities for washing being then not what they are now in Russia
and Germany—the hold-all had made the man sure that I was an
impostor.
We came in the afternoon of the third day into Hamadan, having
done the stages in fair time. The journey was without incident, save
that a string of antelopes crossed the road in broad daylight some
ten yards ahead of us. As they appeared so suddenly, we neither of
us thought of using our revolvers. Hamadan looked pretty as we
entered it, and was surrounded by apparently interminable gardens.
On turning a corner we came upon Captain Pierson, under whom I
was to serve, and of whose division I was in medical charge. He had
ridden out to meet us.
In the early days of the Persian Telegraph it was usual to ride out
with the departing, and to do the same to meet the coming guest.
This is the Persian custom of the “istikhbal,” or ceremonious riding
out to meet the new arrival; being a very important ceremony,
regulated by hard-and-fast rules: such as that the greater the
personage, the further must the welcomer travel; while the lesser the
welcomer, the further must he go. Thus, in the case of a new
governor of Shiraz, the king’s son, the big men rode out three
stages, the ex-governor one, while some actually went as far as
Abadeh, or seven days’ journey; but these were mostly merchants or
small people.
Great fuss and parade is made, the condition of the incomer being
denoted by the grandeur of this “istikhbal,” or procession of
welcome. In the case of official personages, soldiers, both horse and
foot, go out; led-horses also are sent simply for show, splendidly
caparisoned with Cashmere shawls or embroidered housings on the
saddles. And it is found necessary, in the case of the arrival of
ambassadors or envoys, such as that of Sir F. Goldsmid (when on
the duty of the definition of the Seistan boundary), to stipulate that a
proper istikhbal shall be sent out prior to the commissioners entering
a large town.
There is another ceremony, that of the “badraghah,” or riding out
with the departing guest. This, however, is not so formal, and is less
an act of ceremony than one of friendship; however, it is a
compliment that in both cases is much appreciated, especially when
shown by a European to a native.
Latterly the Europeans have almost given up this riding out, which
practically is a great nuisance to those riding at an unusual or
uncomfortable time, perhaps in the sun, and when the arrival of the
guest is very uncertain; it is, too, very annoying, when tired with a
rapid chupper, and having ridden many hours on end, to be put on a
very lively horse, ready to jump out of his skin with condition, and to
pull one’s arms off.
As we had got in sooner than was expected, and were only some
mile from Pierson’s house, we did not change our horses for the
fresh ones provided by him, and after many turns and twists between
high mud walls, we came to the house, and here my travels ended
for the time.
The courtyard was some twenty yards by thirty wide. A hauz or
tank ran the entire length, filled by a constant stream of running
water, and on either side of it was a long flower-bed sunk in the
stone pavement, about the same depth below it as the hauz was
elevated above.
On a level with the ground in the basement were the cellars and
servants’ quarters, and above this a platform ten feet from the
ground, some four yards broad, which extended the whole width of
the courtyard. This was covered by an enormous structure,
consisting of a roof some six feet thick, being painted wood mudded
over a yard deep; and then under it a hollow air-chamber, supported
on three huge wooden octagonal columns, likewise painted in red,
blue, and yellow. Behind and beneath this talár, or verandah, which
was some thirty feet from floor to ceiling, was a central room
(orūssēe), elaborately painted and gilt in the vilest taste, with a huge
window (which could be kept wide open in hot weather) of coloured
glass, in small panes four inches by seven. This was the dining and
reception room.
On either side of this orūssēe, and having the talár still in front of
them, was a smaller apartment. One was Pierson’s bedroom, the
other mine. Thus in front of the three rooms was a covered platform,
four yards by twenty. On this during the summer, save when the sun
was on it, we lived, and when the sun was high the rooms were kept
cool by the talár.
We soon sat down to a sumptuous dinner, and I tasted, for the first
time, Hamadan wine, of which I had heard many and different
opinions. It was a delicious pale, scented, straw-coloured wine, like a
light hock; rather too sweet, but apparently of no great strength. I
soon found, however, that in the latter idea I was much in error, for it
was a wine that went straight to the head, and remained there.
Delicious as it is, the fact of its newness—and it often will not
keep, a second summer generally turning it sour if in bottle—makes
it objectionable, for though it is light and delightful, especially when
iced, a headache surely follows even a third glass.
The natives, we found out in after years, are able to keep it in bulk,
and then the tendency to give an after headache goes away, but so
does the delicious flavour. In winter so cold is Hamadan, that the
wine, which is kept in huge jars holding two hundred maunds (or
eight hundred bottles), or even more, sunk half their depth in the
ground, has to be kept from freezing by making a hot-bed of
fermenting horse-dung around the upper part of these jars, and often
these means fail; for I have myself been present when blocks of
frozen wine have been chopped out of the jars for drinking; these
plans of storing wine only refer to Hamadan: in other Persian towns
the wine, as soon as it is cleared, is placed in carboys, holding from
six to twenty-four bottles.
It is sold in Hamadan in baghallis, or native bottles, holding about
a pint and a half. They are of the very thinnest glass, and very fragile
when empty. One of these bottlefuls costs about fourpence—at least
it did when I was in Hamadan in 1869.
 In a couple of days Major S⸺ left on his way to Baghdad, and
Pierson insisted on my remaining his guest, which I was only too
glad to do, till I could get servants, etc. of my own.
The first thing, however, was to buy a horse, as I could not draw
my horse allowance from Government till I had really a horse of my
own, and the three pounds a month was, considering the smallness
of my pay, a consideration. Of course at that time I knew nothing
about horses, and was fortunate in having the advice of Pierson. As
soon as it was given out that I wanted horses there was a permanent
levée at our quarters of all the owners of the lame, the halt and the
blind, and their animals. These men, however, were all sent to the
right-about by Pierson, and at last a dealer came with four likely
young horses; these were examined and pronounced sound. On
their price being asked, one hundred tomans each was demanded. I
was disappointed, for this was exactly the sum (forty pounds) that I
was prepared to give for two horses. But I was reassured by Pierson,
who made me understand that that was always the price asked for
any beast worth having, and merely meant that the seller did not
mean to take less than one half the amount. I was told, too, that if
one wanted to buy a horse anywhere near its value some weeks
must be taken in the negotiation. The matter ended in Pierson’s
offering the dealer fifty tomans for two of the animals, and the man
leaving our courtyard in simulated indignation, declining even to
notice a bid so ridiculous. However, as Pierson said we had not seen
the last of him, I did not despair.
Next morning, on coming out to breakfast, I saw our horse-dealer
seated with the servants, and as Pierson put it, “They are settling the
amount of commission they are each to get, and this commission
they will have; ten per cent. is legitimate, more is robbery. So all we
have to do is to be very determined; if you can get any two of the
four animals for your limit you will do well, if not you must let them
go.”
Pierson now sent for his head-man and told him that “I was to
have two serviceable horses for forty pounds, and that I should not
pay a penny more; so, as he knew the amount of modakel (profit) he
and the rest of the servants could make, he had better do the best
he could for me, and that he (Pierson) would see that I was not done
as to quality.” The man cast up his eyes and retired.
While we were at breakfast a poor prince, Abu Saif Mirza, came,
and was invited to partake. Pierson told me that he was a very good
fellow indeed, and a grandson of Futteh-Ali Shah,[7] a former Shah
of Persia, but from the irregularity with which his very small pension
was paid, he had to live almost by his gun, and chance meals, such
as the present.
Of course I could not understand what he said, but he fully entered
into the difficulty as to finding me a horse. And as in Persia nothing
can be done without stratagem, he suggested on the spot a means
for bringing the dealer to his senses; it was deep, “deep as the deep
blue sea.” It was simply this: he would exhibit his horse to Pierson
and promise to send it for trial to-morrow, naming a price just about
its value, and “then you will see all will be well.”
No sooner was breakfast over than the prince’s horse was brought
into the courtyard, stripped and examined, and the suggested
arrangement made. As it happened I afterwards bought this very
horse for Pierson to make a wedding present of, but he would have
been more than I could manage at the time, being a spirited beast
and a puller. The Shahzadeh (prince) took his departure, promising
loudly to send his horse round in the morning.
No sooner was he gone than the nazir, or head-servant, presented
himself and delivered to Pierson an oration somewhat of this sort.
“May I represent to the service of the sahib, that it would be very
unwise to purchase the horse of the prince? he is not young” (he
was five years old), “he is gone in the wind” (he was quite sound),
“and his temper is awful; besides this I have reason to know that he
is worthless in every respect” (he was one of the best horses I ever
saw, and I knew him for ten years). “Of course to me it would make a
great difference, for the prince has indeed offered me a handsome
commission” (quite untrue), “while from this poor dealer not a
farthing can be wrung by the servants. No! he would rather die than
pay one farthing. So though the other servants are loath to let a sale
take place to my sahib’s friend, yet I, as an old servant, and looking
for a reward from my sahib for conduct so disinterested, have after
infinite trouble got the dealer to consent to a hundred and fifty
tomans for any two of his four horses.”
“Be off,” was the laconic reply of Pierson. “When we ride to-day, if
the dealer will sell for my price, let the horses be ready and I will see
them and ride them; if not he can go.”
The man sighed and replied: “Ah, I see, sahib, the prince has
laughed at your beard, and persuaded you to buy his worthless
brute. I can’t offer such terms to a respectable man like the dealer,
but I will give the message.”
I now saw the horse-dealer leave the courtyard with the air of an
injured man, and I feared I was as far off a purchase as ever. But
Pierson reassured me. I had plagued him to sell me one of his own
large stud which he wished to reduce, but he declined with a smile,
saying he never sold a horse to a friend unless he was a thorough
judge, and that as I knew nothing about horses he must decline, as I
might repent when too late; and though I pressed him a good deal,
he would not relent. Few men would have lost an opportunity to get
rid of beasts they did not require, but Pierson was a man in a
thousand.
At that time he had eight horses in his stable, all good and all
sound. He had named them after heathen gods, Jupiter, Pluto,
Saturn, Cupid, Hercules, etc. But his pet nag, Apollo—a grey he had
given one hundred and twenty tomans, or fifty pounds, for, an
enormous price in those days in Persia—had a few weeks before
caught his foot in a hole while galloping over turf; horse and man
came down with a crash; Pierson was insensible; and when he came
to himself he found, some four yards off, his favourite lying dead with
his neck broken.
He rode away on his groom’s horse, the man carrying his saddle
and bridle. On getting to the house he sent a gang to bury the poor
beast, but too late, for the villagers had taken off the skin and tail.
Pierson on telling me the story did it so pathetically, that he left off
with wet eyes, and I felt inclined to sob myself.
 As we got ready for the afternoon ride, the horse-dealer and his
four horses appeared, and with a sigh he informed Pierson that he
accepted the terms, or nearly so. On getting out of the town the
horses were put through their paces. They were a big grey, with
enormous mane and tail, of not much breed, but in dealer’s
condition, and a well-shaped and strong-looking beast; an iron-grey,
who plunged and shied and was generally vicious, but really the
most valuable of the four; a fourteen-hand pure-bred Arab, with a
huge scar of a spear-wound a foot long on his shoulder, otherwise
perfect, of angelic temper, but small by the side of the Persian
horses, as all Arabs are; his muzzle almost touched his chest as he
arched his neck, and his action was very high, yet easy; he seemed
an aristocrat compared to the rest; his thin and fine mane and tail
were like silk—he, too, was five. A big, coarse, raking chestnut, that
took all the boy who rode him could do to hold him, rising four,
completed the list.
Pierson kindly rode them all, and with considerable fear I did the
same, save the lively grey, which I wisely acknowledged to be too
much for me. The big chestnut bolted with me, but I stuck on. The
other chestnut was all I could wish, fast, paces good, no tricks,
willing—but, then, the scar. I did not wish to buy him on that account,
but Pierson over-ruled me, and I took his advice; he told me that in
Persia a scar was nothing, that I could ride the horse in comfort and
safety, as he had no vices, and that whenever I wished to sell I
should lose very little. The raking chestnut, as a young horse,
Pierson told me was a speculation; he might turn out well, he might
not. And the grey—well, all I could get out of Pierson was, that “he
had a fine mane and tail,” which he certainly had, and that “he was
value, or nearly.” He was not a well-bred animal, and I liked him, I
fear, on account of the mane and tail; but he pulled. All were entire
horses.
Pierson wouldn’t let me buy the iron-grey, had I wanted to, as he
said he was dangerous, even to a good rider.
So the matter ended in my taking the chestnut for five hundred
and fifty kerans and the grey for six hundred and fifty. Pierson said
the prices ought to have been reversed. He was right. I had that
chestnut Arab ten years; he never was sick or sorry, and I never had
to strike or spur him; a pressure of the knee and a shake of the rein
would make him do his utmost. And he was a fast horse; small as he
was he carried my twelve stone comfortably, and as a ladies’ horse
he was perfect, having a beautiful mouth, while he followed like a
dog, and nothing startled him or made him shy. In the stable he was
quiet, save to a new-comer, on whom he always left his mark by a
bite on the neck, and then, having asserted his position, which was
afterwards never disputed, he was always friendly to stable
companions. He never kicked. I gave him away at last, when I left
Persia on leave.
Next morning the “poor prince” called and looked over my
purchases; he approved the chestnut, but shook his head at the
grey, saying he had “ableh,” or leprosy, and that in time he would
break down, pine, and die. The only sign he had was a pink patch
the size of a fourpenny-piece on his black muzzle. “Give him back,”
said the Prince.
“I can’t see anything wrong,” said Pierson. His mane and tail
decided me. I stuck to him, christening him “Salts”—the chestnut I
called “Senna.”
The custom in Persia is that, until a horse has been three nights
fed in the stable of a new master (unless specially stipulated to the
contrary before witnesses of respectability, or in writing) he may be
returned without giving any reason whatever, simply on the
purchaser repenting his bargain; this is often taken advantage of by
the buyer to return the animal in order to lower his price; the
manœuvre seldom succeeds, as the seller is prepared for it.
The European, if awake to his own interest, generally spends the
three days in giving the beast a good “bucketting” over ploughed
land, when, if there be any hidden defect, it comes out, and the
animal can be returned. We did this, but no fault showing itself, I paid
my one hundred and twenty tomans[8] (forty-eight pounds) and
concluded the purchase.
 CHAPTER VI.
HAMADAN.

Morning rides—Engage servants—Dispensary—A bear-garden—Odd complaints

—My servants get rich—Modakel—The distinction between picking and
stealing—Servants—Their pay—Vails—Hakim Bashi—Delleh—Quinine—
Discipline—I commence the cornet—The result of rivalry—Syud Houssein—
Armenians—Cavalry officer—Claim to sanctity of the Armenians—Their
position in the country—Jews.

As the weather got warmer we began morning rides; we used to

start regularly at six A.M. Pierson kindly gave me a hint occasionally,
and we had some very enjoyable canters about Hamadan, the
environs of which are very pretty and full of foliage; in this other
Persian towns are generally rather deficient. We usually managed to
get in before the sun got too high, had a second tub, and dressed for
breakfast.
I engaged three servants, Abdul-Mahomed, personal or head-
servant; Abdullah, a groom-boy; and Ramazan, as sweeper and
dispensary attendant.
As the staff under my official charge was very small, and they were
unmarried healthy men, my Government work was very trifling; but a
constant crowd at the door, desirous of seeing the new Hakim,[9]
made me anxious to take the advice given me while in Teheran, and
make the most of my opportunities ere the novelty had worn off. I
gave out, then, that I was prepared to see patients from eleven A.M.,
and a courtyard that we did not use in any way, (it was originally the
women’s quarter of our house,) was kindly placed at my disposal by
Pierson, who also gave me the advantage of his knowledge of
Persian as an interpreter.
I saw my servant was very busy indeed, and that all the morning a
file of people were flocking into the courtyard, in which I had installed
my dispensary. Precisely at eleven I proceeded to seat myself; what
was my astonishment to find some two hundred people sitting in
groups, my two servants vainly endeavouring to keep some sort of
order; the noise was great, and practical joking and laughter were in
the ascendant.
Pierson’s presence, however, awed the rioters, and silence was
after a time obtained, some few of the more noisy among the males
being ejected.
I soon found that many of the so-called patients had merely come
from curiosity, while others had old injuries to complain of, and did
not expect medicines, but miracles.
The replies to the question, “What is the matter?” were sometimes
highly ridiculous, one man informing me that he had a serpent in his
inside, while another complained of being bewitched.
Among the ladies, Pierson, who bravely stuck to his self-imposed
duty of interpreter, informed me that the principal request was for
aphrodisiacs, drugs to increase embonpoint, and cosmetics; while
many women of apparently great age were urgent for physic for
improving their appearance. Many cases of eye-disease presented
themselves, and not a few of surgical injury, which had been treated
only in the most primitive manner. It was only by four in the afternoon
that I succeeded in getting rid of the rabble-rout that had come to my
dispensary.
Rome was not built in a day. As the novelty wore off and the
sightseers ceased to come, the sick, who generally amounted to
from two hundred to two hundred and fifty a day, more or less,
became more tractable, and my servants better able to manage
them.
I made stringent rules as to seeing all in the order of their coming,
and separating the men from the women. Although I saw many
thousands of patients in Hamadan, yet I found that I made no
appreciable addition to my income; those who could pay, didn’t; and
the only grist that came to the mill my two men absorbed. These now
bloomed out in silken raiment, and my head-man, whose pay was
twelve pounds a year, and clothe and feed himself, actually kept a
servant of his own, and adopted a slow and dignified pace, which, as
he day by day increased in wealth, became more and more
apparent.
I, after some weeks, on some provocation or other, determined to
discharge Ramazan, who immediately told me, with many
protestations, that on account of the great love he bore me he could
not leave me, and was desirous to stay at half-wages. On my
remaining obdurate he wished to stop on nothing a month and “find
himself.” He begged so hard that I couldn’t turn him out, and forgave
him. The fact was, that his pickings from the daily crowd of patients
was some ten times as much as his pay.
Often have I been asked by Persian acquaintances, “What is your
pay?” “Little enough,” I reply. “Ah, but what is your modakel?” i. e.
pickings and stealings.
This system of modakel it is useless to fight against. The Persians,
from the king downwards, speak of “my modakel.” The governor of a
province buys his appointment: this is the king’s modakel; he farms
the taxes for one hundred thousand tomans, and sells them for half
as much again; this is his modakel; the buyer exacts two hundred
thousand, the difference is his modakel.
I buy a horse, a carpet, or a pound of sugar, ten per cent. is added
by my servant to my bill. I sell a horse, and ten per cent. is taken on
the price by my servant. I pay a muleteer, and ten per cent. is
deducted from the hire. These things are the so-called legitimate
“modakel” of my servant, and I cannot avoid it. If pressed, or the
thing is brought home to him, he will not even hesitate to
acknowledge it.
“It is the custom, sahib. Could you have bought the thing cheaper
than I, or sold it so well, even with the modakel? No, you could not;
then why object? What stimulates me to do the best I can for you?
My modakel; you cannot fight against it.” And he is right; the ten per
cent. is extracted from all, Europeans or Persians; and it is no use to
kick against the pricks. But more than this is considered robbery (if
detected).[10]
 In the last five years of my life in Persia I kept all these servants
mentioned in the note, with the exception of a nazir, who is, as a
rule, a purely useless man, and only an increaser of his master’s
expenses for the sake of the addition to his own profits. Thus my
cook, through whose hands the whole expenses, eight hundred
kerans a month, or at times a thousand, used to pass, made, say,
ninety kerans as his percentage; out of the sums paid for shoeing
and repairs and sale of manure (a valuable perquisite), the grooms
made theirs; while for every penny expended by my servant a
percentage was taken in money or goods.
Even the laundress would take (not steal) a tenth or more of the
soap given her. But then it was no use fighting against it, for it was
not etiquette for the better-class European to be seen in the bazaar,
save for special things, as curios, and such a proceeding would
entail a great loss of consideration, and cause him to be classed as
a “mean white.”
Again, one’s head-servant, though he took this percentage, made
it a point of honour to do his best for you after that had been
deducted, and no one else but himself was permitted to rob on a
large scale.
I have struggled against the system repeatedly. I have even
caused muleteers to be paid in my presence, and have given them a
present for civility, and have then ordered the men off the premises,
not allowing my servants to leave the house; or I have paid by
cheque on a native banker; but I am sure the servants got their
commission, and shared it in certain proportions arranged among
themselves.
Another source of revenue to servants is the system of vails. This
is, I am glad to say, being lessened. At one time the Europeans
encouraged it. I remember, after I had been about a year in the
country, going to stay with Pierson in Teheran, on a visit of five
weeks: I gave his head-servant to distribute amongst the rest two
hundred and fifty kerans, or ten pounds. The man’s face did not
express a lively satisfaction, though that was merely policy; and as I
was riding out of the gate, the “dog-boy,” a youth retained to feed the
five or six dogs my friend kept, seized my bridle, and asked me
roughly, “Where was his present?” This was more than mortal man
could stand; I thonged the fellow, going back afterwards to explain
and apologise to his master, who turned him out then and there.
Thus a servant, though he nominally feeds and clothes himself,
has his wages, his profits, his presents which each servant gets from
his master at the New Year—generally a month’s pay—his vails, and
his master’s old clothes; as these fetch a high price in a bazaar, they
are an important item in the servant’s budget. In addition to this, he
gets a small allowance when travelling, and on the road his master
feeds him. So that, taken altogether, his position is not a bad one,
the emoluments of my head-man, for instance, being more than
those of a native country doctor in fair practice.
I felt considerable satisfaction at this time at the visits to my
dispensary of the “hakim bashi” (chief doctor), or rather one of those
who had that title in Hamadan. He expressed himself as eager to
learn, and knew a few words of French. I was, of course, delighted to
give him any information I could, and he seemed very grateful for
instruction; he, however, turned out afterwards to be a wolf in
sheep’s clothing, and was very nearly the cause of my stay in Persia
being brought to an abrupt termination, a matter which will be duly
detailed.
One day one of the servants brought a “delleh”[11] for sale, a sort
of weasel, and of similar size; he was of an olive-green colour, with a
bushy tail, having patches of yellowish-white on the body: a boy
dragged him in by a string. He was so fierce no one would go near
him, and was evidently carnivorous.
He was kept on our platform tied to a ring, till one day he gnawed
his thong and bolted into a hole. In this hole he remained, just
showing his nose in the daytime, but coming out at night, when he
was generally pursued by our dogs, who roamed about the place
loose.
I had been in the habit of feeding the beast on raw meat, of which
he was immoderately fond, and after some little trouble I taught him
to come to call. The animal got very tame, though extremely
pugnacious when teased, bristling his long soft fur out, like the
mongoose, biting savagely, and emitting a short sharp cry of rage.
He used to beg for his food, sit in our hands, allow himself to be
stroked, and became a great pet with both of us; but, as he showed
a great disinclination to be tied up, we allowed him to live in his hole
in the wall. As he grew fat from good living, he discontinued his
nocturnal excursions, presenting himself at meals with great
regularity; his intelligence was great, and the servants, who hated
him, and looked on him as “nejis,” or unclean, kept carefully out of
his way; as did the dogs, most of whom had been bitten severely,
and the suddenness of his movements and the sharpness of his
cries terrified them.
The beast, too, had another mode of defending himself, which I
am glad to say he only resorted to once when hard pressed. Two of
the dogs had got him in a corner, when suddenly they both bolted,
and the delleh made for his hole in a dignified manner. He had
employed the mode of defence used by the skunk, and the particular
corner of the courtyard, and the two dogs and the delleh were
unapproachable for a fortnight.
However, the animal had no stronger odour than any other
carnivorous beast, save on this occasion, and it probably was his
only means of safety. After he had inhabited his hole some months,
while he was gambolling on our platform, I saw the head of a second
delleh cautiously protruded and rapidly withdrawn. He had been
joined by a female, and after a week or two, she too became quite
tame. Like the ferret and mongoose, these animals waged war
against whatever had life, hunting fowls, etc., with the peculiarly
stealthy gait so well known.
I noticed now that a considerable number of my patients, and
Persian acquaintances, and all the servants, were continually
pestering me for quinine. The reason was that the high price of this
drug, pure as I had it, was a temptation, and as each impostor got a
small quantity, my store sensibly diminished.
I was loath to stop distributing the drug altogether, as I had been
particularly instructed that the giving away of quinine to the sick was
beneficial, indirectly, to the good feeling which we desired to produce
towards the English in Persia.
However, I made a rule only to give away the drug in solution, or,
in the case of servants of our own, in the dry state in the mouth.
This had the desired effect, and as a rule one dose of the bitter
drug caused the most grasping of the domestics to hesitate before
applying for a second. This system I adopted during the whole time I
was in the country, only giving the crystals to the European staff, and
the quinine being distributed each year in ounces, where before it
had been pounds. In fact, I did away with one of the sources of
legitimate (?) modakel of the servants, who had traded on my
innocence and simulated fever (intermittent) to obtain what was such
very “portable property.”
One morning, while we were at breakfast under the “talar,” we saw
a European enter the compound, and a little scene ensued that was
sufficiently amusing. I must premise that in those early days of the
Persian Telegraph Department, when communication was
infrequent, owing to the continual destruction of the line, orders could
only be conveyed by letters, which often never reached their
destination.
The unknown sahib, without announcing himself, or asking if the
superintendent were visible, stalked up on to the platform and thrust
a paper into Pierson’s hand. On it was an order to Mr. P⸺ to
proceed to Hamadan and take charge of the office there. And he (Mr.
P⸺) had that moment alighted from his horse, having marched
some twelve stages from Ispahan.
Pierson took the paper, read it, and said, “Well?”
The stranger replied, “I’m P⸺.”
“Have you nothing else to say?” said Pierson.
“No; I’ve come to take charge of the office here.”
Pierson now called for ink, and wrote “Mr. P⸺ will proceed at
once to Shiraz, and take charge of the office there,” and signed it.