

8 Sanskrit mxterfa medica. 



three grains of barley and two grains of wheat are respectively 

 88 id to be equal to one gunjd JUT- This scale is as follows : 



6 Gunjas make one and. 



*TT*rT 



8 Mdshds or 16 dnds make one told cTH«i<*. 



^f 



WT3 



2 Seers make one Prastha jfvg. 



8 Seers make one ddhdka ^TT^f. 

 32 Seers make one drona ifftT- 

 100 Palas or 12| seers make one Tula g^ff. 

 In the scale obove described ninty-six gunjas make one tola* 

 It would seem, however, that in ancient -days Susruta's scale of 

 forty gunjas to a tola was in general use, for the doses of powders, 

 confections, decoctions, etc., given in the older works, are con- 

 sidered monstrous for the present age, and much smaller doses are 

 given in practice. Orthodox physicians explain the large doses 

 by saying that they were intended for a superior race of men of 

 ancient days. The subject is involved in much obscurity and this 

 is scarcely the place to discuss it thoroughly. In giving the 

 doses of medicines described in this work, I will state the 

 quantities now prescribed by native physicians in current weights, 

 hence they will differ from the Sanskrit texts from which the 

 prescriptions will be translated. 



There is a peculiarity in fluid measures which must also be 

 noticed in order to prevent misapprehension of the Sanskrit texts. 

 When a fluid article is ordered in measures of a prattha or two 

 seers and upwards, twice the quantity mentioned should be taken. 

 Thus if in a preparation it is seated, take of solid paste of certain 

 substances one seer, oil two seers, and water eight seers, the 

 quantities aitually taken are solid paste one seer, oil four seers 

 and water sixteen seers. En measures below two seers or in those 

 indicated by pala sach as eighty palas, sixty palas etc., the 

 quantities are not doubled. 



The doses of medicines are not fixed. They are regulated by 

 the age, strength, and digestive power of the patient, the nature 

 of the illness, the state of the viscera and humours, and lastly by 

 the properties of individual diugs. 



