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 Rig 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. Aifcchison has lately stated that Soma must be the .Ephedra pachycladc, 
which in the Harirud valley is said to bear the name of hum, huma, and Yahma . 
This supposition is confirmed by Dr. Joseph Barumiiller, a botanist long re- 
sident in Kerman, who identifies the Soma plant with some kind ot 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. 
465). 
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 remove! 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. 
