3 Review(s)

About The Book : This work is not a literal translation of any particular treatise, but a compilation from standard Sanskrit medical works, arranged somewhat upon the plan of Waring’s Manual of therapeutics, and intended to give a concise exposition of the Materia Medica of the Hindus. Dr. Wise, in his Commentary on the Hindu system of Medicine, has given a pretty full and accurate account of the Anatomy, Surgery and Pathology of the Hindus. With regard to his work I may here repeat what I have stated in the preface to my translation of the Nidana, “That the natives of India cannot be too grateful to him for the trouble ho has taken in bringing to light the contents of their ancient medical works, and establishing their right position in the history of Medicine.” The scope and plan of his book did not, however, admit of his treating of Sanskrit Materia Medica in the manner of modern works on the subject. About The Author : Udoy Chand Dutt (1834-1884) was a physician and expert on Ayurveda who served as a civil medical officer at Serampore, Bengal, India and wrote the Materia Medica of the Hindus, a major translation of Sanskrit works into English, first published in 1870.This book included translations of a number of Sanskrit sources on traditional Indian medicine into English and later revisions included a glossary of the botanical names was provided by Sir George King. Dutt helped Sir George Watt in producing his Dictionary of the economic plants of India and his work is widely cited. An edition in 1877 included revisions by Binod Lall Sen, Kaviraj (a title for native practitioners of medicine) Ashutosh Sen, and Kaviraj Pulin Krishna Sen (Kavibhushan). Dutt also wrote other books including Nidana: A Sanskrit System Of Pathology. This was a translation of a Sanskrit work called Nidāna compiled by a low-caste Hindu named Madhava Kara for use by those classes which did not have access to the works of Charaka and Susruta. George King: ( 1840-1909) was a British botanist who was appointed superintendent of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta in 1871, and became the first Director of the Botanical Survey of India from 1890. He was recognised for his work in the cultivation of cinchona and for setting up a system for the inexpensive distribution of quinine throughout India through the postal system. King married Jane Anne Nicol (1845-1898) in 1868. Jane fell ill and died on the way back to England in 1898. The loss was a blow and in the following years King lost an eye due to a ruptured vessel and he increasing fell ill. He reflected on the history of botany in India at the 69th meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1899. He died of a seizure at San Remo on 12 February 1909.