INTRODUCTION. 
liii 
learnt much of the healing art from the Hindoos, so the latter 
were indebted for their knowledge concerning several foreign 
drugs to the Greeks. 
The rise of Muhammadanism brought about a new era in the 
history of civilization. The Arabs paid great attention to the 
cultivation of science and art. Although they did not discover 
or invent anything new, yet they preserved most of the known 
sciences of the ancient world- Without them, it is doubtful if 
the modern world would have been in possession of the philoso- 
phical and scientific lore of the Greeks or the Hindoos. Hindoo 
physicians adorned the court of the rulers of Bagdad. Medical 
works of the Hindoos such as Gharaka, Sushruta, Nidana, &c., 
were translated into Arabic. The teachings of Hippocrates, 
Democritus, and other Greek physicians were made known to 
the world by the countrymen of Muhammad. When India came 
to be under the Islamic power, Muhannnmadan physicians known 
a 3 Yunani Hakims were patronized by the court. They were 
versed in the medical lore of the Greeks. They brought with 
them the teachings and doctrines of the Greek masters of the 
healing art, and also made known the properties and uses of 
several drug3 of Central Asia. The Hindoo system of medicine, 
on the rise of the Muhammadan power, came to a stand-still ; 
but the Hindoos were not slow in making use of those drugs 
which their Muhammadan conquerors had made known to them. 
Of all the drugs perhaps the most important one imported into 
India by the Muhammadans was opium. Before the Muham- 
madan supremacy in India, there is hardly any mention of 
opium to be met with in Hindoo works of Materia Medica. The 
principal* works of Hindoo Materia Medica composed during 
the Muhammadan period of Indian history are : — 
(1) Raja Nighantu, by Narahari Pandita. Regarding this 
work, Professor PI. H. Wilson writes that “ from the frequent 
occurrence of the Dakhini terms in explanation of his Sanskrit 
text it is inferred that he was an inhabitant of the south of 
India.” The date of composition of this work has been fixed by 
the same authority at some time between the 12th and 13th cen- 
turies. t Vide H. H. Wilson’s Works, Vol. V., p. 237.) 
