Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 17.7.5

17.7.5

I paid my respects to Aaly-verdy-qhan at the same time, was charged with some messages to his nephew, and I repaired again to Purniah, where I delivered the messages, and found him still complaining of that headache, and suffering a particular pain whenever he had to roll his turbant round his head. A few days after he said to me, that he thought that applying leeches to his head would do him good. I answered "that losing some blood, and getting himself shaved, might afford him some relief." Two or three days after I observed that he had fixed his mind on the leeches, and was insisting on their being sent for. I took the liberty to object again. He paid no regard to my reasoning, and he added that some women said that leeches were best, when their genitals seemed apparent. I again presumed to reply, "that what old women said did not deserve his attention." That's true, answered he, but yet, there can be no harm in the application. Finding him bent on having leeches, I kept silence; and as there is no flying from one's destiny, leeches were sent for, and applied. A deal of blood and watery matter came out, but every part where an application had been made, began to suppurate; and he now turned towards chirurgy. By degrees the whole neck swelled, and put on a strange appearance; and it seemed greatly tumefied. In short the swelling increased daily, and it was thought that the tumour being full of matter, it would be proper to procure an issue to it;