History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c22.s1.45

v1.c22.s1.45

*Mūtra Parīkṣā*: Urine examination has been an important technique for clinical diagnosis. Besides the physical examination in terms of colour, consistency, turbidity, taste etc the technique of *Taila Bindu Parīkṣā* (oil drop test) is described in later texts. In this technique a drop of oil is left on the surface of the patient’s urine and the movements of the oil drop in different directions and its rate of spread and change in colour etc are interpreted in terms of a number of chemical and physical properties of urine such as ph, specific gravity, surface tension etc. and also in terms of *Pañca Mahābhuta* and *Tridoṣa* (*YY*. 1, *Bās*. 3):