Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c11.1

c11.1

§ 39. Menstruation and Conception¹:—The menstruation begins at the age of 12 and stops at the age of 50 years (Su 3. 3.11; AS 2.1.196; AHr 2.1.7; Bhāv 1.1.16). With regard to the male race the age of 16 years forms the earliest limit for the attainment of puberty which extends to 70 years at the most (AS). Yet it has been recommended to a young man to marry² a 12 years' girl at the age of 21 and to create at the age of 25 a son from a wife of 16 years, because they then are fully developed and create strong progeny. If at the time of procreation the father is less than 25 and the mother less than 16 years' old, the foetus dies in the womb or if at all it is born it does not live long or remains crippled, weak and sickly (AS 2.1.195; AHr 2.1.9; Su 3.10.54 f.). In the selection of a wife, it is to be seen that no contagious or hereditary diseases exist in her family (asancārirogakula— AS). Manu 3.7 mentions special families in which haemorrhoid, consumption, dyspepsia, epilepsy, white or black leprosy prevail.