The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s12.t1.4

c5.s12.t1.4

*Khaṇḍa kushmándaka*,¹ or confection of squash. In preparing this medicine, old ripe gourds are selected. Those not at least a year old, are not approved. They are longitudinally divided into two halves and the pulp scraped out in thin flakes by an iron comb or scratcher. The watery juice that oozes out abundantly during this process is preserved, the seeds being rejected. The pulp is boiled in the above mentioned juice, till softened. It is then tied up tightly in a cloth, and the fluid portion allowed to strain through it. The softened and drained pulp is dried in the sun and the watery portion preserved for future use. Fifty tolás of the prepared pulp are fried in sixteen tolás of clarified butter, and again boiled in the juice of the fruit, till reduced to the consistence of honey. To this are added fifty tolás of refined sugar, and the whole is heated over a gentle fire, till the mass assumes such a consistence as to adhere to the ladle. The pot is now removed from the fire, and the following substances, namely, long pepper and ginger, each two tolás, cumin seeds, cardamoms, cinnamon, leaves called tejapatra, black pepper and coriander, each half a tolás in fine powder, are aded to the syrup and stirred briskly with a ladle, till the mass is cool. Eight tolás of honey are now added to the confection which is preserved in a new earthen pot. The dose of this medicine is from one to two tolás, according to the age and strength of the patient. It is useful in hæmoptysis, phthisis, marasmus, cough, asthma, ulceration of the lungs, hoarseness, etc.