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The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s30: Products of Fermentation and Distillation

The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s30

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Products of Fermentation and Distillation

Wines and Spirits

c5.s30.t1.1

All fermented and distilled liquors causing intoxication, are called *Madya* or *Madirá* in Sanskrit. The following varieties are mentioned by the later writers.

c5.s30.t1.2

| माि्धक, *Máddhika,* | or | spirit | distilled | from grapes. |
| खाजूर्, *Khárjura,* | do. | do. | do. | dates. |
| गौड़ी, *Gauḍi,* | do. | do. | treacle. | |
| सीधु, *Sidhu,* | do. | do. | sugar-cane juice. | |
| सुरा, *Surá,* | do. | do. | rice. | |
| कोहल, *Kohala,* | do. | do. | barley. | |
| मधुिलका, *Madhuliká,* | do. | do. | wheat. | |
| पैष्टी, *Paiṣṭi,* | do. | do. | from different sorts of grain. | |
| मधुकपुष्पोत्थ, *Madhuka pushpottha,* | do. | do. | the flowers of *Bassia latifolia* and treacle. | |
| जाम्बव, *Jámbava,* | do. | do. | ripe fruits of *Eugenia Jambolana.* | |
| कादम्बार, *Kádambari,* | do. | do. | flowers of *Anthocephalus Cadamba.* | |
| वल्कािल, *Valkali,* | do. | do. | belleric myrobalan and treacle. | |
| वारुणी, *Váruni* | is the | fermented | juice of the | palm and date trees. |

c5.s30.t1.3

Some of these spirituous liquors have several varieties. Thus two varieties of *sidhu* are mentioned, namely, that produced from boiled sugar-cane juice and that from the unboiled juice. The liquor distilled from rice receives different names according to its consistence. The clear transparent fluid which floats on the top is called *prasanná*; that below it, is called *kádambari*; *jagala* is a thicker fluid than *kádambari*; *medaka* in the thickest and weakest of all. The forms of medicated spirituous liquors have been already described in the introduction, (see page 31).

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Spirituous liquors are described as stimulant, sedative, agreeable, heating, intoxicating, digestive and nourishing. They are easily assimilated but injurious to health in hot climates. New wine is disagreeable to the taste and smell, unpleasant in its effects, not easily assimilated, laxative, heating and injurious to health. Old wine is agreeable, light and appetizing. It promotes the circulation of the fluids in the vessels and renders the senses acute. In amiable and virtuous men, wine promotes mirth and a desire for musical entertainments. In passionate men it gives rise to rashness and evil actions. Used at the proper season, in proper doses and with suitable food, wine acts like nectar. If taken to excess it induces a host of diseases. Medicinally, spirituous liquors are said to be useful in emaciation, debility, anæmia, urinary diseases, dyspepsia, chronic bowel complaints, chronic fever, deficient secretion of milk, etc.

c5.s30.t1.5

A mixture of ginger, cumin seeds, treacle, wine and warm water is given in ague with prolonged cold stage.¹ In chronic intermittent fever with debility, spirit distilled from rice, together with the flesh of fowls is recommended to be given as diet by most writers, but their advice is not followed in the present day. Several preparations of spirit distilled from treacle with the addition of various medicinal and aromatic substances are used in different diseases. The following is an example.

c5.s30.t1.6

¹ शुण्ठी जाजी गुडं पिष्टं पोतसुष्णोष्ण वारिणा । जीर्णमद्येन तक््रेण पीतं शीत ज्वरं जयेत् । भावप्रकाशः ।

c5.s30.t1.7

² सुरां समण्डां पानार्थे भक्ष्यार्थे चरणायुधान् । तिनिरोंश्च मयूरांश्च प्रयुञ्जादविषज्वरे । चक्रः ।

c5.s30.t1.8

Mritasanjivani surá.¹ Take of new treacle eight hundred tolas and steep it in thirty times its weight of water. Add to the mixture the following substances in the form of a paste, namely, ginger sixteen tolas, bark of *Acacia Arabica* two seers, of *Ziziphus Jujuba* (*kola*) two seers, of *Symplocos racemosa* (*lodhra*) half a seer, betle-nuts as many as desired; stir in a large earthen vessel, and keep the mixture for twenty days in a covered jar. After this period remove the fermented fluid to a distilling apparatus, and add to it, the following aromatic substances, namely, betle-nuts, cloves, sandal wood, cumin seeds, *ájowan*, black pepper, ginger, nutmegs, cardamoms, cinnamon, *tejapatra* leaves, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, the fragrant substances called *elaváluka*, *padma-kástha* and *granthiparni*, *devadáru* wood, *khas khas* root, zedoary root, *jatámánsi* root and the tubers of *Cyperus rotundus* (*mustaka*), each eight tolás, in coarse powder, and distil. This distilled liquor is used as a tonic, astringent and invigorating drink.

c5.s30.t1.9

¹ मृतसञ्जीवनोसुरा। नूतनं गुडसङ्ग्रहं शतमेकं पलं तथा। जलं अष्टगुणं देयं स्थापयेत् मृत्भाजने। बावरीत्वच सं ग्राह्य बदरीत्वचमेवच। प्रस्थं प्रस्थं प्रदातव्यं पूगदेयं यथोचितं। लोध्रञ्च कुडवं दत्वा आर्द्रकञ्च पलद्वयं। गुडं सगोलकं कृत्वा दापयेत् बुद्धिमान् भिषक्। प्रथमे आर्द्रकं देयं द्वितीये बावरीत्वचं। तृतीये बदरी दत्वा गोलयित्वा भिषग्वरः। सुखे सरायकं दत्वा यत्ने कृत्वा च वन्धनं। सुखसंवन्धनं कृत्वा स्थापयेदिन विंशतिं। मृत्पात्रे मयूराख्ययन्त्रके। यथाविधि प्रकारेण मन्द मन्देन वह्निना। चुल्लिमध्ये विधातव्यमृत्तिका दृढ भाजने। तदौषधञ्च तन्मध्ये उद्धरित्वा विनिचिपेत्। कुम्भमध्ये निधातव्यं पूगञ्च सैजवालुकं। देवदारु लवङ्गञ्च पद्मकोशीर चन्दनं। शत पुष्पा यमानी च मरिचं जीरक द्वयं। शठी मांसी त्वगेलाच जातिफलं समस्तकं। ग्रन्थिपर्णी तथाशुण्ठी मेथी सेषोच चन्दनं। एषा चार्द्धपलान् भागान् कुटयित्वा विनिचिपेत्। यथाविधि प्रकारेण चानलं दापयेत् सुधी। बुद्धिमान् शोधनं कृत्वा उद्धरेत् विधिवत्सुरां। एतन्मद्यं पिबेन्नित्यं यथाधातु वयक्रमात्। आरोग्यं देह दाव्यत्वं बलपुष्टिकरं सदा। उद्धृत पाठः।

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THE MATERIA MEDICA

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OF THE HINDUS

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