The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c4.s3.19

c4.s3.19

काञ्जिक *Kánjika*. This is a sour liquid produced from the acetous fermentation of powdered paddy. Two seers of powdered *áus dhán* (paddy grown in rainy season), are steeped in eight seers of water and laid aside in an earthen pot for fifteen days and upwards, when the mixture undergoes acetous fermentation. The resulting fluid is called *Kánjika* or *Dhányámla*, that is, the acid produced from paddy. *Kánjika* is a clear transparent fluid with an acid taste and vinous smell. It is cooling, refrigerent, and useful as a drink in fever, burning of the body, etc. It is sometimes applied externally upon the principle of wet-sheet packing, cloth steeped in the fluid being wrapped round the body for relief of high fever and heat of body. It is also used as a vehicle for other medicines and for preparing decoctions, oils, etc. Other grains besides paddy are sometimes used for acetous fermentation. If mustard or the seeds of *Raphanus sativus* (mulaka) are added to paddy, the resulting fluid is called *Siṇṭáki*. If the husked grains of barley are boiled and steeped in water, the resulting acid liquor is called *Sauvira*. When the husks of fried *másha-kaláya* (pulse of *Phaseolus Roxburghii*) and barley are boiled together for acetous fermentation, the acid is called *Tushámvu*. *A'rnála* is a sour gruel made from fermentation of boiled rice. A mixture called *Sukta* or *Chukra* is thus prepared :—Take of treacle one part, honey two parts, *kánjika* made as above described, four parts, whey eight parts, mix together in a clean earthen pot, and bury the pot in a heap of paddy for three days. The properties of these preparations are similar, they being regarded as cooling, refrigerent, diuretic, and useful in nervous diseases, rheumatism, dyspepsia, indigestion, urinary diseases, intoxication from spirituous drinks, etc. What is ordinarily spoken of as conjee water in English, is a decoction of rice and not the *kánjika* of Sanskrit Materia Medica.