126  Ancient  and  Modern  Hindu  Medicine.     {  Ami/a°r"b,]9os.rm' 
offering  a  prayer  to  the  Almighty  for  his  recovery.  Should  the 
wound  cause  intense  pain,  a  cloth  soaked  in  melted  ghee  and  licorice 
may  be  applied.  The  operations  were  performed  on  auspicious 
days,  and  the  patient  was  made  to  sit  or  stand  with  his  face  to  the 
east. 
In  cases  of  patients  dreading  the  knife,  and  of  children,  sharp 
pieces  of  bamboo  or  glass  were  substituted.  Leeches,  caustics,  and 
hot  charcoal  were  used  in  the  treatment  of  certain  affections.  The 
surgical  instruments  were  to  be  made  of  the  best  steel  and  kept  in 
handsome  portable  wooden  boxes.  It  is  thought  that  the  disap- 
pearance of  surgery  from  Hindu  medicine  is  chiefly  due  to  the  aver, 
sion  of  the  Brahmins  to  touching  a  dead  body,  and  to  coming  into 
contact  with  pus,  blood,  etc.  Surgery  thus  passed  from  the 
priestly  class  into  the  hands  of  the  lower  classes,  and  for  lack  of 
encouragement  declined  altogether,  until  bleeding  was  left  to  the 
barbers,  bone-setting  to  the  herdsman,  and  the  application  of  blis- 
ters to  every  man. 
The  obstetric  art  is  considered  a  branch  of  surgery  and  is  treated 
at  great  length.  External  circumstances  were  supposed  to  act  very 
powerfully  on  the  physical  and  moral  qualities  of  the  offspring.  On 
this  account  the  woman,  from  the  time  of  conception,  should  be  kept 
happy,  should  remain  pure,  and  should  wear  ornaments  and  white 
clothes.  She  should  not  touch  a  dirty,  diseased  or  imperfectly 
formed  individual.  Great  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  diet: 
during  the  first  three  months  the  food  should  be  very  cool  and 
thin,  as  rice  and  milk.  When  abortion  is  threatened,  cold  water 
and  cold  bathing  should  be  used.  On  a  favorable  day  in  the  ninth 
month  the  pregnant  woman  is  to  be  removed  to  a  temporary  hut 
built  for  the  purpose,  the  door  to  the  east  or  south.  Four  expe- 
rienced women  should  be  selected  to  assist  at  delivery.  Sour  gruel 
in  large  quantities  was  to  be  given  to  assist  in  the  expulsion  of  the 
foetus.  In  case  of  delay  the  smoke  of  the  skin  of  the  black  serpent 
was  to  be  applied  to  the  vagina. 
When  the  infant  was  born,  a  little  fine  salt  and  ghee  were  mixed 
and  put  in  the  mouth,  a  mixture  of  linseed,  margosa  leaves,  and 
ghee  was  rubbed  upon  its  head,  and  a  piece  of  oiled  cloth  put  over 
it.  The  cord  was  tied  eight  fingers  from  the  navel  and  then  divided, 
and  one  end  was  tied  around  the  neck  to  prevent  evil.  A  little  cold 
water  was  then  thrown  over  its  face,  and  the  father  offered  up  the 
