Interpretation of Ancient Hindu Medicine

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An Interpretation of Ancient Hindu Medicine is a complete book about Hindu medicine. Organized into five chapters, each chapter discussed and explains one particular branch of Hindu medicine. A reader can acquire all that he should know about Hindu medicine from this single book. The reprint of Chandra Chakraberty's book will prove an opportune and welcome publication.

Chandra Chakraberty, an acknowledged authority of Ayurveda or Hindu medicine, offers in this well-written and well-researched treatise an interpretation of the salient principles of Hindu medicine based upon Charaka and Susruta in modern terminology. A modern student of Hindu medicine has, no other choice but to depend on books that are written in English. To such students Chandra Chakraberty's book is addressed.

I started this Book with the idea of making it a comparative study of the ancient Hindu and Greek systems of Medicine in the light of modern knowledge. But I soon realized that the Hindu students for whom this book is chiefly intended, would not be interested in the Greek Medicine, and as there are excellent translations of the works. of Hippocrates, I hve confined myself to the in- terpretation of the Ancient Hindu Medicinealonu.

I was forced to the conclusion that the Ancient Greek Schools of Medicine were indebted to the Hindu Systems for the following reasons :-(1) Indigenous Indian drugs are found in the works of Hippocrates as (a) Kardamomon from Sk. 'kardama' (cardamon) as an emmenagogue in Vol. VII. p. 358; in dyspnea in Vol. VIII. p. 80; (b) Amomon from Sk. 'ela' (Elettaria cardamomum) as an emmenagogue in Vol. VII. p. 358; (c) Peperi from Sk. 'pippal (Piper longum ) as an expectorant, mixed with honey- water in Vol. II. p. 464; in nasal catarrh in Vol. V. p. 183; in gingivitis in Vol. V. p. 244; as an errhine in Vol. V. p. 328; as a drink with honey, vinegar and water in Vol. VII. p. 150; with wine and oil in a pessary in Vol. VII. p. 364; in quartan fever in Vol. VIII. p. 654; Dia-trion piperidon, from Sk. trikaṭu, a preparation made from three species of 'Piper' (nigrum, longum and album ); (d) Kinnamomos from Sk. 'toak' (Cinnamomum zeylonacum) with myrrha, and safran in fumigation in Vol. VII. p. 372; simple fumigation in Vol. VIII, p. 364; (e) Akoros from Sk. 'vacha' (Acorus colamus) with myrrha as antiseptic in jection in Vol. VII. p. 368; made infusion with dry pomegranate skin in wine for astringent injection in Vol. VIII, p. 860; (f) Nardon from Sk. jaṭāmāmsï' (Nardostachys valeriana) as antiseptic fumigation with cinnamon, myrrha and rose perfume in Vol. VII. p. 372; as an astringent antiseptic wash in lochia in Vol. VII. p. 04; (g) Sesamon from Sk. 'tila' (Sesamum indicum) as a vulnerary in empyema-suppurative abscess in Vol. II. p. 518; in the treatment of adiposis in Vol. VI. p, 76; as a plaster in long-standing catarrh in Vol. V. p. 432; as a fattening food in .Vol. VI, p. 258. ; as a nutritive food in Vol. VI. p. 544; as a substitute for cheese in Vol. VII. p. 78; in coughing of the children in Vol. VIII. 82; (h) Ziggiberis from Sk. 'Srigavera' (Zingiber officinale); Kostos srom Sk. 'kustha' (Costus speciosus); Sakcharon from Sk. 'sarkara' (Saccharum officinarum ); Pepereos riza from Sk. pippali-mula' (radix Piper longum ); Kupeiros from Sk. 'mustaka (Cyperus rotundus);"" Bdellion from Sk. 'guggula' (Aquilaria agallocha); etc.

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