A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c24.57

v1.c24.57

The subjects dealt with are: the usefulness of āścotana (the application of eyedrops) in the initial stage of all eye diseases (23.1); the suitable temperature of the drops, dependent on the doṣa involved (23.2ab); the procedure for the application of eyedrops (23.2cd–4); the bad effects of wrong application (23.5–6); the beneficial effects of correct administration (23.7); 309 indications for the application of an añjana (collyrium) to the eyes (23.8–9); 310 the three types of añjana: lekhana (scarifying), ropaṇa (healing) and dṛṣṭiprasādana (clarifying the vision); 311 the tastes and vīrya of the drugs to be employed in these three types (23.10–11ab); 312 a pratyañjana is a collyrium of prasādana action, to be used when the eyes are irritated by a sharp (tīkṣṇa) añjana (23.11cd– 12ab);³¹³ the requirements for the rod (śalākā) for the application of an añjana (23.12cd–13);³¹⁴ the three preparations employed in an añjana: piṇḍa (pill), rasakriyā (inspissated decoction) and cūrṇa (powder), indicated in serious, moderate and mild (disorders of the) doṣas respectively (23.14);³¹⁵ the correct doses of these three preparations (23.15–16ab);³¹⁶ the most suitable periods of time for an añjana (23.16cd–22);³¹⁷ contra-indications for an añjana (23.23–24);³¹⁸ properties making an añjana unsuitable for use (23.25); after-treatment (23.26–31).³¹⁹