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PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 



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That the ancient Hindus made considerable progress in the 

 / science of medicine is fully acknowledged by European savants 

 S^. who have studied both the western and eastern systems, anoient 



and modern. Hindu medicine, however, is specially indebted to 



;V Dr. Wise for the masterly way in which he placed its merits 



before the western world. 



The efficacy of medicines is best proved by the cures they 

 effect. The beneficial results, specially in chronic cases, obtained 

 by the use of drugs prepared according to the Hindu system is 

 often found to be simply marvellous. The large number of Hindu 

 physicians successfully practising in Calcutta, in competition with 

 Allopathic, Homoeopathic and Yunani practitioners, is a standing 

 testimony to the value of indigenous drugs manipulated aooording 

 to the directions left behind by the sage? of old. The rale among 

 the natives of Bengal seems to be to resort to western systems in 

 the first stage of diseases, it being the general belief that the 

 ancient Hindu system is slow in giving relief to the sufferer. 

 But the trials of the two systems, that are daily taking place side 

 by side of each other, are now gradually creating a oonviotion in 

 the public mind, that the Hindu system though slow is ultimately 

 sure in its results, and that it never produces those after 

 disturbances which the administration of violent foreign medicines 

 so affects the debilitated systems of patients. If the Hindu system 

 of medicine is so beneficial for the allevition of human misery in 

 this world, it is necessary that the knowledge which hitherto lay 

 hid in anoient Sanskrit works should be placed within the reach 

 of all searchers after truth. It is with this view that the late Dr. 

 Uday Chand Dutt published the present work in 1870. The book 



^ was universally received with favour as the best contribution 

 ever made to the literature on the subject of the indigenous drugs 

 of India, and within a few years the first edition was entirely 



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