INTRODUCTION. 

 i. 



Since disease, decay and death have always co-existed with 

 life, the study of diseases and their treatment must also have 

 been contemporaneous with the dawn of the human intellect. 

 The primitive man must have used as therapeutical agents and 

 remedial measures those things which he was able to procure 

 most easily. There is no authentic record of medicines used by 

 the primitive man. But the Big Veda which is the oldest book in 

 the library of man supplies curious information on the subject. 

 From it, we learn that the Indo-Aryans used the Soma as a medi- 

 cinal agent. It is not quite certain what the Soma * plant was. 



*Dr. Aitchison has lately stated that Soma must be the Ephedra pachyclade, 

 which in the Harirud valley is said to bear the name of hum, huma, and Ydhma. 

 This supposition is confirmed by Dr. Joseph Barurniiller, a botanist long re- 

 sident in Kerman, who identifies the Soma plant with some kind of Ephedra, 

 probably Ephedra distachya, but who remarks that different varieties of 

 Ephepra are to be found from Siberia to the Iberian peninsula, so that one 

 must give up the hope of determining the original home of the Aryas by means 

 of the habitat of the Soma plant, (Quarterly Review, No. 384, Octr. 1894, p. 

 455). 



The Soma plant possessed intoxicating properties and the Vedic Aryans 

 recognised it as a quickener of the intellect. 'Soma, like the sea, has poured 

 forth songs, and hymns, and thoughts.' * * 



* The beverage (i.e., Soma juice) is divine ; it purifies, it inspires joy, it is a 

 water of life ; it gives health and immortality.' , 



"We've quaffed the Soma bright, 



And are immortal grown ; 

 We've entered into light, 



And all the gods have known. 

 What mortal now can harm, 



Or foeman vex us more ? 

 Through thee, beyond alarm, 



Immortal god, we soar." 

 Address to Soma. 



"Thou Soma, fond of praise, the lord of plants, art life to us." 

 ''Be unto us, Soma the bestower of wealth, the remover of disease, 

 Exulting Soma ! increase with all twining plants." 

 " I invoke the divine waters, in which our cattle drink : 

 Ambrosia is in the waters ; in the waters are medicinal herbs." 



Soma is supposed to preside over medicinal herbs, and therefore the Rishi 

 Medhatithi continues his hymn, as :— 



" Soma has declared to me, ' all medicaments as well as Agni, the benefac- 

 tor of the Universe, are in the waters ; ' the waters contain all healing herbs. 



