Page:A History of Hindu Chemistry Vol 1.djvu/151



is not our purpose to discuss in the present volume the theories dominating Hindu medicine and, incidentally, chemistry. A concise preliminary summary of some of the salient features of the Sāmkhya and Vaiseshika systems of philosophy is, however, absolutely needed in order to follow with advantage the excerpts given in this book from the Charaka, the Susruta and other works. In connection with this, it would also be interesting to compare the indebtedness of Hippocrates to the doctrines of Parmenides, Empedocles and other philosophers of the same school.(1) "Œuvres d' Hippocrate" by E. Littré, Paris, 1839, Tome I.Intro. pp. 13 et seq. In connection with this chapter