10 Analysis of a Tibetan Medical Work. [Jan. 



The meat and drink, after being digested in the stomach, are changed into 

 chyle and faeces. These turn into ordure and urine, that is, for the nutrition of 

 the body, by increasing the blood. The blood preserving the moisture or humidi- 

 ty of the body, keeps up life, and increases the flesh. The flesh covering and 

 cleansing the body, both within and without, produces the fat. This makes 

 the whole body unctuous, and causes the increase of the bone. This supports 

 the body and increases the marrow. This improves the essential sap of the 

 body, and produces the semen virile. This conduces to the well-being of the 

 whole body, and to the production of a new one. 



The service, rendered by the faeces, is : the ordure serves for the support of the 

 bowels, guts, &c. By urine, morbid humours are carried off ; and it serves 

 also for a support of the thinner faeces, and carries off the putrid thick sedi- 

 ments. 



The office of sweat is to soften the skin, and to change the obstructed pores of 

 the hair of the body. 



Fire-warmth 3J'5S is the common gentle warmth, or heat, of the whote 

 body. The warmth of the stomach is the principal cause of the digestion of meat 

 and drink of every kind. If this warmth is in good state, the digestion of meat 

 and drink is easy ; no diseases then arise, the lustre of the face, the chyle, the 

 supports of the body and life, then increase. Therefore, the warmth of the 

 stomach must be kept up, (or if lost, must be restored,) with every endeavour. 



The manner in which meat and drink are changed. Whatever is eaten or 

 drunk, is carried into the belly or stomach, by the vital air or wind; afterwards, 

 by the aid of phlegm, it comes into fermentation of a sweet taste, and increases 

 the quantity of phlegm. Afterwards, being digested by the aid of bile, taking a 

 hot and sour taste, it produces bile. Afterwards, by the aid of the air or wind 

 that conveys an equal heat to the whole body, the dregs or faeces being separated, 

 and taking a bitter taste, it generates thin wind. The faeces being changed into 

 thick (or solid) and thin (or fluid) parts, become ordure and urine. 



The chyle, after having passed by nine veins from the stomach into the liver, 

 it becomes or changes into blood ; afterwards, successively, it is transformed into 

 flesh, and the seven supports of the body. 



2ndly. The hurtful things or bad humours. These are three : wind, bile, 

 and phlegm, each with a five-fold division. 



1. Of Wind. The life-keeping wind or air resides in the upper part of the 

 head ; that which operates upwards, has its place in the breast ; that which pervades 

 or encompasses all, resides in the heart ; that which communicates or conveys 

 an equal heat to the body, has its seat in the stomach ; that which cleanses 

 downwards, abides in the lower part of the trunk. 



2. Of Bile. The digesting bile resides in the stomach, between the digested 

 and indigested part; that which forms the chyle, resides in the liver; that which 

 prepares or increases, in the heart; that which assists the sight (or causes to see), 

 in the eye ; that which gives a clear colour, resides in the skin. 



3. Of Phlegm. The supporting phlegm resides in the breast ; the masticatory, 

 in the indigested part ; the tasting, on the tongue ; the refreshing (or that makes 

 contented), in the head; the conjunctive or uniting, resides in every juncture 

 (or joint). 



The characteristic signs of the above-specified humours — that of wind ; rough- 

 ness, lightness, cold, smallness, hardness, and mobility. 



