A Concise History of Science in India c8.s8.t2.3

c8.s8.t2.3

Another class of medical works, which had existed from earlier times but which became increasingly important as handbooks in medical practice during this period, were the *nighaṇṭus* (ready guides or lexicons), which contained long or short monographs on different medicinal substances and terms. The works of this period were by Madanapāla, Narahari, Bhīmapāla and Rājavallabha, which supplemented or supplanted earlier works by Dhanvantari, Halāyudha, Viśvadeva, Amara, Śeṣarāja, Soḍhala, Mādhava and Cakrapāṇidatta. None of these works claim any originality in matter or presentation of theoretical knowledge. Among specialized treatises of this period may be named *Arkaprakāśa* by Rāvaṇa, of unknown age (possibly of a date not later than the twelfth century as indicated by the style of writing), dealing with aqueous and tinctorial extracts; *Cikitsākalikā* by Triṣaṭa (fourteenth century), a manual on diagnosis; *Cintāmaṇi* by Ballabhendra (fifteenth-sixteenth century), another comprehensive work on aetiology and diagnosis of diseases and clinical examination of the bodily eliminations; *Vaidyāmṛta* by Moreśvara (early sixteenth century), dealing with treatment of diseases only; and *Vaidya-Jīvana* by Lolimbarāja (seventeenth century), dealing with the clinical and therapeutical aspects of marital relations. Most of the works mentioned above are available only in manuscript form. An assessment of these works has been given by Gananath Sen (2) and Keith (3).