ТНЕ 
ACONITES OF INDIA. 
L—INTRODUCTION. 
$ 1. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN ACONITES. 
L—BISH (AND ATIS). 
Roor-rUBERS of Aconites have occupied an important place in the Indian Phar- 
macopoa from very remote times. Two distinct kinds or classes of Aconites may 
already be recognised in Susrutas’ Ayurvedas (Latin Transl, by F. Hessler, 1844), 
namely, “ Ativisha” and “Vutsanabha.” The former is quoted by Susrutas over and 
over again as an ingredient of medicines, but it does not oceur among the poisons, It . 
is evidently Aconitum heterophyllum, to which the name Afivisha is stil] applied by 
modern Sanskritists (see Dutt, Mat. Med. Hindus, ed. 1900, p. 101). The same word 
is found practically unchanged and with the same meaning in Marathi and Guzerati; and 
more or less altered, but still recognisable, in such idioms as Dukni (Atvika), Cutchi 
(Ativista), Hindi (Айз), Bhoti (Ais, Telugu (Ativasa). Madden (in Trans. Bot. Soc. 
Edinb. v., 1858, p. 130) explains Ativisha as meaning ‘overcoming poison—antidote,” 
adding in brackets “(erroneously rendered summum venenum by Wallich)" It is still 
regarded by the Hindus as an important medicine and antidote (Dutt, J. с.). Susrutas’ 
Atiisha stands therefore for a non-poisonous Aconite. Оп the other hand, Vatsanabha is 
quoted by Susrutas (Hessler's Transl. ii, p. 216) as one of the 13 bulb poisons, and 
he mentioned (Z с.) 4 varieties of Vatsanabha among the 55 “stable”* poisons. Dutt 
(. e, p. 97) quotes Vatsanabha for * Aconitum ferox," which stands here in a broad 
sense for all or most of the poisonous Aconites of which the tubers reach the Indian 
market, and explains the same as indicating the resemblance of the roots to the navel 
of children, whilst Madden (1. c. p. 128) renders Vatsanabha as * calf-destroyer.” 
This name has also, in a more or less changed form, found its way into modern 
idioms, as Bengali (Bu/snab) Bombay and Lahore bazaars (Bachnab) Hindi (Bach nag, 
see Madden, Z. c.) Тапа! (Vasha-navi) Telugu (Vasa-nabhi). Susrutas has also a 
Sringivisha among the 13 balb poisons (2. ¢., ii, p. 216), and he describes its action 
as causing ‘lassitudo membrorum aestus et abdominis intumescentia." The same name 
is quoted by Dymock (Mat. Med. Western India, 1883, p. 4) and by Dutt (L c. p. 97) 
as a vernəcular equivalent of Aconitum feroz (sens. lat.), and it is quite probable that 
Susrutas’ Sringivisha also stood for some poisonous Aconite root. 
There is no evidence that the medical schools of Greece and Egypt had any 
knowledge of the Indian Aconites; but when, about the 8th century, the Arabe translated 
Susrutas, and became generally acquainted with the treasures of the medical sages of 
š Ву * stable" poisons, vegetable ard mineral poisons are meant. 
Ах», Roy. Bor. Garn. Carc, Vor. X. 
