depart
happy. After their craving is satisfied, the evil spirits are not very
particular whether the blood is human or not. In Shoka land especially,
branches with thorns and small flying prayers are placed on each road to
prevent their immediate return. These are said to be insuperable barriers
to the evil spirits.

[Illustration: BRANCH WITH THORNS TO PREVENT RETURN OF EVIL SPIRITS]

When a patient completely recovers, the Lamas naturally obtain money for
the exorcisms which have expelled the illness, and they never fail to
impress upon the people the extraordinary powers they possess over the
much-dreaded demons.

The Tibetans are unsuccessful in surgery, first of all because they do
not possess sufficient knowledge of human anatomy; secondly, because
their fingers are wanting in suppleness and sensitiveness of touch; and
lastly, because they are not able to manufacture instruments of
sufficient sharpness to perform surgical operations with speed and
cleanliness. In Tibet everybody is a surgeon, thus woe to the unfortunate
who needs one. It is true that amputation is seldom performed; but if it
should become necessary, and the operation is at all difficult, the
patient generally succumbs. The Tibetan surgeon does not know how to saw
bones, and so merely severs the limb at the place where the fracture has
occurred. The operation is performed with any knife or dagger that
happens to be at hand, and is, therefore, attended with much pain, and
frequently has disastrous results. The precaution is taken to tie up the
broken limb above the fracture, but it is done in such a clumsy way that
very often, owing to the bad quality of Tibetan blood, mortification sets
in, and, as the Tibetans are at a loss what to do on such occasions,
another victim goes to join the majority.

Considering the nomadic habits of the Tibetans and the rough life they
lead, they are comparatively immune from very bad accidents. Occasionally
there is a broken arm or leg which they manage to set roughly, if the
fracture is not a compound one, by putting the bones back in their right
position, and by tightly bandaging the limbs with rags, pieces of cloth
and rope. Splinters are used when wood is obtainable. A powder made from
a fungus growing on oak-trees in the Himahlyas is imported and used by
the Tibetans near the frontier. A thick layer of it, when wet, is rubbed
and left upon the broken limb, over which the bandaging is afterwards
done. In a he