shrouded in curtains and exposes the tongue or the seat of disease through a hole in the curtain made expressly on purpose. Nor is this modesty confined to the young and the beautiful, but the old, and for what is known to the contrary, the ugly also are equally shy in exposing their person.
In Calcutta, private practice forms the principal source of income, and though the pay of a presidency surgeon is far below that of a regimental one, yet their appointments are eagerly sought for. The scale of remuneration varies with the income of the family attended, and runs from 200 to 800 rupees annually, or one week's pay of the head of the family.
Formerly, all surgeons at the presidency had the privilege of having the prescriptions for their patients, whether of or not of the service,made up free of expense at the Government Dispensary. Of late, this boon has been withdrawn, the doors of the dispensary have been closed against all dispensation and the wants of the sick are supplied by numerous druggists who drive a very flourishing trade in consequence. Very few practitioners not in the service, contrive to maintain a favourable position in practice in Calcutta unless through their capacity of druggists.
