AmMi?ch*,f908.rm'}    Ancient  and  Modern  Hindu  Medicine.  129 
remedies  as  antispasmodic,  cathartic,  expectorant,  diuretic,  hypnotic, 
hydragogue,  anaesthetic,  etc. 
In  addition  to  Charaka  and  Susruta,  there  were  many  authors  of 
note  in  ancient  and  medieval  India.  An  oft-quoted  Sanscrit  stanza 
states  that  "  Madhava  is  unrivaled  in  diagnosis,  Vagbhatu  in 
principles  and  practice  of  medicine,  Susruta  in  surgery  and  Charaka 
in  medicine." 
During  the  palmy  days  of  Buddhism  in  India,  under  the  reign  of 
Asoka,in  the  third  century,priests  associated  themselves  in  companies 
for  the  education  of  children, the  relief  of  the  sick,  and  the  propagation 
of  the  Buddhist  religion.  Hospitals  were  erected  and  a  regular  system 
of  medical  administration  established  throughout  the  kingdom. 
With  the  decline  of  Buddhism  these  institutions  disappeared.  We 
close  this  part  of  our  subject  with  a  quotation  from  Prof.  Wilson : 
"  The  ancient  Hindus  attained  as  thorough  a  proficiency  in  medi- 
cine and  surgery  as  any  people  whose  acquisitions  are  recorded." 
Several  things  combined  to  bring  about  a  decline  of  Hindu  medi- 
cine and  surgery.  Of  these  a  very  important  one  was  the  contempt 
with  which  the  Mohammedan  conquerors  of  Hindustan  regarded 
the  scientific  knowledge  of  the  Hindus.  The  diffusion  of  the  Euro- 
pean system  of  medicine  also  acted  as  a  discouragement  to  the 
study  of  the  Sanscrit  works.  As  time  went  on  the  ancient  works 
became  more  inaccessible,  and  imperfect  copies  were  substituted. 
Thus  confidence  diminished  and  superstition  and  quackery  increased. 
Let  us  now  turn  to  the  condition  of  Hindu  medicine  as  it  exists 
in  India  to-day. 
Of  the  native  physicians  of  to-day,  an  experienced  Hindu 
apothecary  writes,  that  "  most  of  the  native  doctors  are  those  who, 
having  failed  in  other  spheres  of  life,  adopt  the  healing  profession  as 
an  easy  means  of  getting  a  living."  He  also  writes :  "  In  villages 
where  no  English  medical  aid  is  available  and  where  the  patients 
are  poor,  they  cannot  but  have  recourse  to  native  doctors.  If  the 
disease  or  complaint  is  an  ordinary  one,  these  poor  people  get  well. 
If  severe  and  complicated,  they  are  sure  to  die  by  maltreatment. 
My  belief  is  that  those  unfortunate  beings  who  fall  into  the  hands 
of  native  quacks  are  up  to  50  or  60  per  cent,  killed  by  over-drug- 
ging or  poisoning  by  aconite,  arsenic  or  mercury."  The  descrip- 
tion given  by  this  gentleman  is  similar  to  my  own  experience. 
In  the  bazaars  of  every  large  town  in  India  will  be  found  one  or 
