they performed many miraculous cures, as would
be expected from their superhuman character.

Professor Wilson published in the _Oriental Magazine_, in 1823, some
notices on early Hindoo Medicine, and he points out that the tradition
is, that the above "two Aswins instructed Indra in medical and surgical
art, that Indra instructed Dahnwantari; although others make Atreya,
Bharadwaja, and Charaka prior to the latter:--Charaka's work, which goes
by his name, is extant. Dahnwantari is also styled Kasi-rajah, or Prince
of Kasi, or Benares. His disciple was Susruta, his work also exists."

The Ayur-Veda, as the oldest medical writings of the Hindoos are
collectively called, was divided into eight divisions. These are
described by Professor Wilson as follows:--

"1st. _Salya._--The art of extracting extraneous substances, violently
or accidentally introduced into the body, with the treatment of the
inflammation and suppuration thereby induced.

"The word _Salya_ means a dart or arrow, and points clearly to the
origin of this branch of Hindoo science.

"2nd. _Salakya._--The treatment of external affections or diseases of
the eyes, nose, ears, &c.

"3rd, _Kayao Chikitsa._--The general application of medicine to the
body, or the science of medicine, as opposed to surgery under the two
first heads.

"4th. _Bhutavidya_, or demonology: the act of casting out demons, which
we may take to mean the treatment of insanity, such as it was.

"5th. _Kaumara bhritya_, or the treatment of the diseases of women and
children.

"6th. _Agada._--The administration of antidotes.

"We do not appreciate this as an eastern nation would when poison was
only too common an instrument of ambition or revenge.

"7th. _Rasayana._--Is chemistry, or perhaps it were better to say
alchemy, as its chief aim was the study of combinations of substances
mostly metallurgic, with a view of obtaining the universal medicine or
elixir which was to give immortal life.

"8th. _Bajikarana._--Was connected with the means of promoting the
increase of the human race."

One of the articles of Hindoo medicine was _Kshara_ or alkaline
salts,--these are directed to be obtained by burning different
substances of vegetable origin, boiling the ashes with five or six times
their measure of water and filtering the solution, which was used both
internally and externally. Care is enjoined in their use, and emollient
applications are to be used if the caustic should occas