knowledge of a few nostrums merely, they blunder on, regardless how many fall victims to their incapacity; and if, in any village, a person who has used their prescriptions happen to recover, though none of the merit belongs to the medicine, their names become famous: the destruction of twenty patients does not entail so much disgrace on a practitioner, as the recovery of one individual raises his fame. Indeed, many a Hindoo is in the case of the woman who "had suffered many things of many physicians, and spent "all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse."

They

The Hindoos, however, do not depend for cures altogether upon medicine. repeat the names of their gods, worship them, offer the leaves of the toolusee to the image of Vishnoo; repeat many charms, or wear them after they have been written on the bark of a tree, and inclosed in small cases of copper, silver, gold, or some other metal. They also listen to parts of different shastrus, or to forms of praise to Doorga or Ramů.

The voidyus who are intended by their parents to practise physic, are first taught the Săngskrită grammar, and after reading two or three elementary books, study the voidyŭ shastrŭs, and then learn the method of preparing and administering medicines.

The Hindoo physician never prescribes to a patient without first receiving his fee, the amount of which is regulated by the ability of the patient: the poorest persons sometimes give as little as two-pence; but one, two, or five roopees, are common gifts among the middling ranks. A rich man pays the doctor's travelling charges, his whole expences during his stay, and now and then adds presents of 50, 100, or 200 roopees. On his recovery, he dismisses him with presents of cloth, silks, or a palankeen, &c. Some

rich men have given elephants, horses, and even estates to their physicians after recovery from dangerous sicknesses. To the poor, the fees of quacks are a heavy burden. Yet it ought to be mentioned to the praise of some few of the Hindoo doctors, that they give advice and medicines to all the poor who come for them.

When the Hindoo doctor goes to see a patient, he takes with him, wrapped up in a cloth, a number of doses in cloth or paper. He has no use for bottles, every medicine almost being in the state of powder or paste: liquids, when used, are made in the patient's own house.

SECTION XXXVIII.

Works still extant.*

Nidanŭ, by Madhŭvů, on diseases.-Comments on ditto, by Nuru-singhu, Vijŭyŭ-rükshito, and Vopu-dévă.-Chăkrů-dŭttů, by a person of this name, on medicines.-Pakavů lee, on ditto.—Voidyŭ-jeevănů, by a person of this name, on ditto.-Vũngů-sénŭ, a similar work.—Bhavă-průkashă, on diseases and the materia medica.-Chůrüků, by a person of this name, on diseases and remedies.-Răsă-rătnů-sămoochůyŭ, on mercurial remedies. —Răséndră-chintamůnee, by Toontõkŭ-nathŭ, a similar work.―Răsă-mănjurée, by Shalee-nat❜hů, ditto.—Rajă-nirghŭntů, by Kashee-raju, on the properties of the different articles composing the materia medica.—Goonů-rŭtnă-mala-koshů, by Narayŭnŭ-dasŭ, on the names of ditto.-Lolită-rajă, on the practice of medicine.—Sharăngŭ-dhŭrů, by a person of this name, a similar work.-Rusă-ritna-vălee, by Bhurătă, ditto.-Průyogamrită, ditto.-Gooroo-bodhŏků, by Hérůmbŭ-sénů, ditto.—Harēētă, by the sage Hareētŭ, ditto.—— Paninee, by the sage of this name, ditto.—Răsă-rătnă-průdēēpă, ditto.—Růsŭ-koumoodee, ditto.-Chikitsa-koumoodee, ditto.-Dhunwuntăree-nirghuntă, by Dhunwǎntăree, on diseases and their remedies.-Voidyŭ-sŭrvŭswă, by the same writer, on the preparation and the whole practice of medicine.-Sooshrootă, by a sage of this name, on ditto.--Vabhůtů, by a sage of this name, on ditto.-Saru-koumoodee, by Hŭrishchǎndrărayu, on preparing and administering medicines.--Saru-süngruhů, by the same author, an abridgment, on the practice of medicine.-Mudhoo-malutee, and seven other works on mercurial preparations, by seven rishees.-Rutna-vélée, by Kúvee-chŭndrů-rayů, on diseases, &c.—Săndéhŭ-bhunjinee, by Vopŭ-dévů, a similar work.-Pŭree-bhasha, by Narayŭnŭ-dasă, on the mode of preparing medicines.-Naree-průkashă, by Shůnkŏrů

The names of sixteen original medical writers are given in the Markündéyű pooranů, viz. Dhunwüntüree, who wrote the Chikitsa-tutwů-vignanů; Divodasů, the Chikitsa-dürshůnŭ ; Kashēē-raju, the Chikitsa-koumoodēē; Ushwinēē-koomarů, two brothers, physicians to the gods, the Chikitsa-rŭtnŭ-tŭntrŭ and the Brămhŭgnů; Nŭkoolů, the Voidyŭ-sŭrvůswů; Sŭhŭdévŭ, the Vyadhee-sindhoo-vinürdŭnă; Yŭmũ, the Gnanarnŭvă; Chyŭvănŭ, the Jēēvŭ-danů; Jūnŭků, the Voidyŭ-sündéhŭ-bhŭnjŭnă; Boodhu, the Survvŭ-sarŭ ; Javalŭ, the Tăntrů-sarŭ; Javalee, the Védangă-sarŭ; Poilŭ, the Nidanŭ; Kŭrăťhŭ, the Sŭrvŭdhŭrŭ; and Ugŭstyŭ, the Dwoitŭ-nirnüyů. Of these, six works are said to be still extant.

sénă, on the ascertaining the nature of diseases by the pulse.-Păt'hya-păťhyŭ, by Vishwu-Nat❜hu-sénů, on regimen.

Other medical works are read in Bengal; but I have mentioned only these, because they are said to be more generally consulted; and there are many books on medicine written in the colloquial dialects, by sunyasees* and others; but they are despised by the higher classes, and have no claim to notice as works of science.

The subjects treated of in the Voidyŭ shastrus are: The prognostics of diseases, or the method of obtaining a knowledge of the state of the body from the pulse.-The causes and nature of diseases, including their primary and proximate causes. In this part are considered, the changes produced on the body by an excess, or defect, in the proportion, or proper circulation, of air, bile, and rheum.-The art of healing, which includes, 1. the materia medica; 2. chymistry, and pharmacy; 3. the administering of medicine. The latter includes internal remedies, as well as the application and effects of unguents, lotions, &c.-Rules for regimen, under which head the nature of different kinds of aliment are considered, the effects of sleep, sexual enjoyment, and a variety of other circumstances when connected with a state of sickness.

The work called Nidană gives the names of the following diseases: Jwürů, or fever.Ŭteesarů, dysentery.—Grühünē, diarrhoea.—Ŭrshů, hæmorrhoids.—Ŭgnee-mandyň, indigestion.-Visoochika, costiveness.-Krimee, worms, attended with vomiting.-Kamŏla, discoloured urine, and stools the colour of earth.-Pandoo, jaundice.-Răktů-pittů, discharges of blood.--Rajü-yõkshma, pulmonary consumption.--Koshă, sore throat and excessive cough. Hikka, hiccup.-Shwasŭ, asthma.-Swürů-bhédă, noise in the throat. ---Ŭrochňků, want of appetite.---Churddee, vomiting.-Trishna, thirst.-Moorcha, fainting.--Mŭdatyŭyů, drunkenness.-Dahŭ, burning heat in the extremities.—Oonmadů, insanity.—Ŭpůsmarů, hystericks.—Vayoo, gout or rheumatism.-Vatŏruktů, burning in the body accompanied with eruptions.--Oorůstŭmbhi, boils on the thighs.—Amŭvatů, swelling of the joints.—Shōōlů, cholic.—Anahí, epistasis.-Oodavŭrttů, swelling in the bowels.—Goolmi, a substance formed in the belly, accompanied with sickness.—Hri* The sŭnyasēēs (religious mendicants) are the common wandering quacks of the country.

drogu, pain in the breast.-Mootrů-krichrů, strangury.—Ěshmůree, the stone.-Průméhŭ, a gleet.—Médŏ, unnatural corpulency.—-Ooděrů, the dropsy.—Shot'hă, inturmescence.-Vriddhee, swelling of the intestines.—Gölü-gündŭ, a goitre.—Găndă-mala, ulcers in the throat.-Shlee-půdů, simple swelling of the legs.-Vidrůdhee, an abscess.-Naree-vrănă, ulcers on the intestines.-Vrănů-shot'hů, ulcers on the body.—Bhugündüră, fistula in ano.-Oopădăngshu, the venereal disease.-Shōōku-doshŭ, pricking pains in the body, supposed to be the precursor of the leprosy.—-Twŭgamůyŭ, the dry scab. -Shēētŭ-pittů, the dry leprosy.—Oodŭrddhů, ring-worm.—Koosht’hů, leprosy.—Ŭmlůpittu, the heart-burn.-Visŭrpă, dry eruptions, running in crooked lines over the body. -Visphotů, boils.---Müsōōrika, the small pox.-Kshoodrů-rogă, of which there are two hundred kinds, all denominated trifling diseases.-Nasa-rogă, pain in the nose, followed by bleeding.—Chŏkshōō-rogů, diseases in the eyes.-Shiro-rogň, headache.—Stree-rogă, sickness after child-birth.-Valu-rogă, sicknesses common to children.-Vishŭ-rogů, sickness after eating any thing deleterious.-The shastrus mention eighteen diseases as particularly fatal; but among these the most dangerous in Bengal are, Fevers, Jukshma,* Consumption, Müha-vyadhee,† Olaoot'ha, Dysentery, Asthma, Small Pox, Oodăree,§ Sootika.

Cough and spitting of blood; others say, the induration of the spleen.

+ The Leprosy. Multitudes of these miserable beings may be seen in the public streets, with their legs swelled, their hands and feet full of raw wounds, and their fingers and toes falling off.

Cholera morbus, which generally carries off the patient in a few hours.

Of this there are three sorts: julodürēē, viz. the dropsy; mangsodŭrēē, a swelling without water; and amodürēē, a distention of the bowels through costiveness, which usually ends in a dysentery, and terminates in death.

A disease of women after child-birth, attended with violent evacuations.

Iii 2

SECTION XXXIX.

Translations

From three Medical works, the Narēē-průkashi, Nidanŭ, and Nidanŭ-Săngrăhă.

First, the physician must ascertain the nature of the disease of his patient; to do which, he must first look at the person sent to call him, and, by his countenance and conversation, endeavour to ascertain whether the patient be likely to survive or not. He must next proceed to the patient; look at him; and enquire into the state of his bowels, digestion, sleep, &c. then feel his pulse, examine his tongue, his evacuations, urine, his nose, head, hands, feet, and navel.-If any physician administer medicine to a patient the first day he is called, before he has ascertained the nature of the disease, he is compared to Yumů.

Of the pulse.This work declares, that the subject of the pulse is a mystery so profound, that the doctors in heaven are but imperfectly acquainted with it; and therefore it can scarcely be expected to be known among men. The writer professes, however, to give something of what the learned have written on this subject. There are five principles in the body, viz. earth, water, light, (téză),* wind, and ether: these qualities are mixed with the fæces, but if the fæces become bound in the body, sickness ensues. The air in the body called vůlahŭků exerts a powerful influence in the preservation and destruction of the world, as well as of individual bodies. It exists in five forms,† pranŭ, ăpană, sŭmană, oodană, and văyanŭ, which have separate places in the body, and regulate all its motions. The two pulsative arteries in the feet are under the ancle joint; those in the hands are at the roots of the three first fingers; one pulse exists at the root of the throat, and another at the root of the nose. By the pulse in these different places the state of the body may be ascertained. When the physician intends to examine the pulse of a patient, he must rise very early, attend to all the offices of cleansing, washing his mouth, &c. and go fasting: the patient must abstain from food, labour, bathing, and anointing himself with oil, must confine himself to his house, avoid anger, vomiting,

• Téză is the most active principle in bodies, as, light or heat in the sun, verdure in plants, energy in

man, &c.