ON HYGIENE IN ANCIENT INDIA. 



An inquiry having reference to Hygiene in ancient India 

 is at the present time of considerable interest. Such an 

 investigation, however, is attended by not a little difficulty, 

 and, in the absence of other particulars regarding it, must be 

 prosecuted rather in the pages of historians and poets than in 

 those of regular medical treatises. In the following remarks 

 I accordingly desire to collect such observations bearing upon 

 the subject as have come under my notice,* they being 

 arranged for the sake of greater convenience into those that 

 bear upon General Hygiene and those that more properly 

 belong to Army Hygiene. 



* The following are the works to which I am chiefly indebted for infor- 

 mation, namely : — 1, Ancient India as described by Megastbenes and Arrian, 

 by J. W. McCrindle, a.m. ; 2, History of India, by J. Talboys Wheeler ; 

 3, The Indian Antiquary ; 4, Hindu System of Medicine, by T. A. Wise, m.d. ; 

 5, Ancient and Mediseval India, by Mrs. Manning ; 6, Calcutta Review, 

 No. 83 of 1865 ; 7, Asiatic Researches ; 8, Colebrook's Essays ; 9, Professor 

 Wilson's Works ; 10, Travels of Buddhist Pilgrims, S. Beale j 11, Legend 

 of the Burmese Buddha, Bishop Bigandet. 



Note. — This paper does not pretend to contain more than an imperfect 

 sketch of the subject of which it treats ; it may, however, form a ground- 

 work for further investigations regarding the different points alluded to 

 in it, 



