4 Analysis of a Tibetan Medical Work. [Jan. 



Fourth Chapter. On the symptoms of diseases. On examining the tongue and 

 urine. On feeling the pulse. On asking (orally) after the circumstances, how 

 the disease first arose, and its progress, — what pain is felt, what sort of food has 

 been useful or noxious ? 



Especially with respect to the tongue : If the tongue is red, dry, and rough, it 

 is the sign of prevailing wind ; if covered with a yellowish white thick substance, 

 it is the sign of bile ; if covered with a dim, white, soft, and moist substance, it 

 is the sign of phlegm. 



With respect to the urine : If the urine of the patient is blue, clear like spring- 

 water, and has much spume or froth, it is the symptom of wind ; if yellowish red 

 and thick, steaming or vapouring greatly, and diffusing a smell, it is the sign of 

 bile ; if white, with little smell, and steam or vapour, it is the sign of phlegm. 



With respect to the pulse : When the physician feels the pulse, if beating 

 greatly upwards it somewhat stops, (if irregular) it is the sign of wind ; a quick 

 full beating is the sign of bile ; a sunk, low, and soft beating is the sign of phlegm. 



The physician's 29 questions to the patient about his food, exercise, and the 

 pains or relief felt after having taken such and such a food, made such and such 

 an exertion, &c. are here detailed. 



Fifth Chapter. On the means of curing diseases. 



1 . With respect to food : 



The several sorts of flesh, grain, vegetables, and liquids employed successfully 

 in curing diseases caused by wind. Specification of the several sorts of animal 

 and vegetable food, and of soup and liquids or potions, by which bile is cured. 

 Ditto of those that are good against phlegmatical diseases. 



2. With respect to one's conduct of life or exercise. 



It is good against wind to remain in warmth, and to have a companion with whom 

 one can best agree. Against bile : to remain in a cool and still place, or undis- 

 turbed. Against phlegm : to cease from exertion or business, and to remain in 

 warmth. 



3. With respect to medicaments to be used against these three humours. 

 Those against wind are of three different tastes : sweet, sour, and saline ; and 



with respect to their efficacy, unctuous, heavy, and soft. 



Those used against bile are, sweet, bitter, and nauseous bitter: — their efficacy ; 

 coolness, thinness, and dulness, or bluntness. 



Those used against phlegm are, hot, sour, and acrid : — their efficacy : sharp- 

 ness, roughness, and lightness. 



Mixtures of medicaments with respect to their tastes ; for assuaging pains, and 

 for carrying off diseases, or for purging. 



1. Assuaging medicaments : 



Against windy diseases : soup, and medical butter (a kind of sirup). 

 Against bile : liquid medicine and powder. 

 Against phlegm : pills and powdered medicine (aromatics ?) 

 The several kinds of soup are : of bones, flesh, butter, molasses ; of wine, &c. 

 There are specified five kinds of sirup, according to the different principal in- 

 gredients, their several applications and effects. 



2. Depuratory or purging medicaments. 



In windy diseases : a gentle depuratory medicament. 

 In bilious diseases : a purging physic. 

 In phlegmatic diseases : emetics. 



