(fioi[i;c5pndciuf. SEGREGATION To the Editor of

"

IN HINDU RITUAL.

The Ixdiax Medical Gazette."

SIR,?The following, in connection with segregation, may be interesting to your readers, and I therefore, request you to Journal. kindly find space for them in your Mr. Streenivsa Row, F. T. s., of Guntore, in his lecture 011 and science, modern delivered in Telugu, religion ancient and at the Theological High School, said that segregation is not foreign to Hindus. If a death occurs in one's family, he observes Sutliakum (days of polution), during which he and the members of his family are considered to be under polution and are not allowed to mingle with others or visit public places, like for 10 days (15 amon" some class). After the temples, the old and useless things, expiry of this period he throws away the house and performs like earthen vessels, &c., whitewashes or fire is burnt, after the homuni holy when punyavachanum, which the house and the people are considered to be removed from the said restrictions. If a person sees a corpse, he should take a bath without rehe had on (Sachalasnamoving from his person the clothes should take a bath and num). If one attends a funeral hethe town, and once more wash his clothing before entering after entering the town, he should then visit, before returning burnt. are kc., where camphor, home, a temple In some cases he should remain away from home for a night. It was shown that the observances of buthakum, whitewashing, punyavachanum, bathing and visiting^ temple were calculated to prevent the spread of the disease if the death be due to an infective disease. The rule was made applicable to all cases of death, to obviate the necessity of discriminating deaths due to infective diseases from deaths due to other causes, and to avoid the pains which would rise if the rule applied to certain cases only.

It was shown that the visit to the temple was a sort of fumias one perspires freely while there owing to the dense smoke raised by burning camphor, &c. It will not be out of place to mention that the prohibition of giving alms from a house, where there may happen to be a case of small-pox, was evidently meant to prevent the spread of the disease through the grain doled out. Thus many of the so called superstitious observances anion" Hindus have a real practical value.

gation,

J.

v. RAMASWAMINAYADU,

,

Medical Practitioner, Madras.

Segregation in Hindu Ritual.

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