( viii )
In order to teach the Malay that we recognise his requirements, understand his diseases, and are interested in his bodily welfare, there can be but one method
adopted, and that is to learn first his vocabulary, and to grasp his ideas of medical and surgical processes as they appear to him, in the pathological human frame.
The feeling, be it noted, which first prompted me to compile and collect the enclosed words was, I regret to state, more one of shame at my own ignorance and failure to convey my meaning to the sick than one of strict philanthrophy, but my "Students" (if I may flatter myself so far) will, I trust, use this outcome of my chagrin in all true philanthropy.
To those medical men or magistrates who may use this pocket book for reference from time to time, I would point out a few Malay fallacies, according to our ideas of medicine (for they all understand more or less about the common diseases); amongst many such the following are worthy of note:-
- Lunar influences, to which many phases — which we recognise medically as sequelæ or concomitants of given diseases — are attributed by them, e.g., Kedal Bulan, Kurap Bulan, etc., and the relapsing or recrudescence of diseases, which is also frequently accounted to the long suffering moon.
- The division by them of the stages of Leprosy, Syphilis Cancer, Malignant Ulcers, etc., into separate diseases, e.g.: (a.) Penyakit stong, or restong (syphilitic ulceration of the palate or disease of the nasal bones), which is not recognised by them as in any way connected with the previous Hunterian chancre. All the skin eruptions of syphilis, in fact, are "Kudis," unconnected in their minds with previous venereal disease; (b.) Cancer, which is unrecognised as such, each phase being named, as "Bara batu," or hard abscess, the consequent ulceration will be either Bara, if there is
