286 
Reviews. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1892. 
mund,  has  offered  h-is  aid,  the  completion  of  the  "  Materia  Medica  of  Madras  " 
has  been  entrusted  to  competent  hands. 
Charaka-Samhita,  translated  into  English.  Published  by  Abinash  Chandos 
Kaviratna,  practitioner  of  the  Hindu  System  of  Medicine,  etc.,  Calcutta. 
This,  the  oldest  medical  work  known,  was  written  in  Sanskrit,  and  transla- 
tions of  it  into  several  of  the  Eastern  idioms  have  been  published  heretofore, 
among  others  by  the  physician  who  is  now  engaged  with  its  translation  into 
English,  and  the  publication  of  this  English  version,  with  explanatory  com- 
ments. Some  twelve  years  ago  an  attempt  was  made  by  Dr.  Mahendra  Lai 
Sircar,  to  issue  such  a  translation,  and  a  portion  of  the  work  was  published  in 
a  medical  journal  in  Calcutta;  but  the  effort  was  finally  abandoned  owing  to 
impaired  health.  We  believe  that  no  translation  into  any  European  language 
is  in  existence,  and  the  one  now  under  way  will,  therefore,  be  the  first  to  make 
that  ancient  work  accessible  to  those  not  conversant  with  the  languages  of 
India. 
The  origin  of  the  work  dates  back  to  the  early  part  of  the  Christian  era,  and 
Arabic  versions  of  it  are  known  to  have  been  in  existence  in  the  eighth  century. 
According  to  a  legend  it  originated  from  the  sacred  Ayurveda  (Science  of  Life), 
which  was  communicated  by  Prajapati,  a  son  of  Brahman,  to  a  learned  sage, 
and  by  him  to  his  followers.  The  work,  as  subsequently  written  down  by 
Agniveca,  was  edited  and  corrected  by  Charaka  whose  name  became  hence- 
forth connected  with  it.  Charaka  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  native  of  the 
Punjab,  but  nothing  is  known  of  the  time  in  which  he  lived.  The  work  itself 
is  still  regarded  in  India  as  very  high  authority,  and  the  system  of  medicine 
taught  by  it  is  even  at  the  present  time  practised  by  a  large  number  of  persons. 
Aside  from  the  philological  value,  which  a  correct  translation  will  undoubtedly 
possess,  its  attractiveness  to  the  physician  and  the  student  of  natural  history 
lies  in  its  historical  character,  by  showing  the  principles  upon  which  hygienic 
measures  were  based  at  that  remote  period,  and  the  means  then  employed  for 
preserving  health  and  combatting  disease.  That  many  of  the  important 
remedial  agents  of  the  present  day  are  derived  from  India,  is  well  known  ; 
they  have  as  a  rule  been  employed  there  from  a  very  remote  period. 
This  interesting  work  is  published  in  monthly  fascicles  until  completed,  the 
whole  work  costing  32  rupees  to  subscribers,  the  amount  payable  in  four 
instalments. 
A  Practical  Manual  of  Diseases  of  the  Skin. — By  George  H.  Roh£,  M.D., 
Professor  of  Materia  Medica,  Therapeutics  and  Hygiene,  and  formerly  Pro- 
fessor of  Dermatology  in  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  Baltimore, 
etc.  Assisted  by  J.  Williams  Lord,  A.B.,  M.D.,  Lecturer  on  Dermatology  and 
Bandaging  in  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  ;  Assistant  Physician  to 
the  Skin  Department  in  the  Dispensary  of  Johns  Hopkins  Hospital.  Phila- 
delphia :  The  F.  A.  Davis  Company,  Publishers,  1892.  i2mo.  Pp.  viii  and 
303.    Price  cloth  $1. 25. 
It  is  unquestionably  true  that  the  discomfort  or  disfigurement  produced  by 
skin  diseases,  though  as  a  rule  not  tending  to  shorten  life,  is  apt  to  cause  the 
patient  more  anxiety  than  many  other  ailments  likely  to  be  followed  by  dan- 
gerous sequelae.  For  this  reason  a  practical  knowledge  of  the  diagnosis  and 
treatment  of  this  class  of  diseases  is  of  great  importance  to  the  physician,  and 
