Page:A Short History of Aryan Medical Science.djvu/121

VII.] Arushkara (eschar-causing), because when applied to a living part its juice gives rise to an eschar.

(j) Cassia Absus is called Lochana-hita (eye-benefactor), as its seeds are used as eye-salve to strengthen the sight.

3. Veerya (power) is the third of the five properties innate in every medical substance, a knowledge of which is considered indispensable for a practical study of the Materia Medica. According to the influence of the sun or the moon a medicine is believed to be either hot or cold in power. It is therefore called "Ushna-veerya," heating, or "Sheeta-veerya," cooling. Hot agents cause giddiness, thirst, uneasiness, sweat and burning sensation ; suppress cough and wind, but increase bile and promote digestion. Cold agents lessen bile and increase wind and phlegm, promote strength and pleasure and improve the blood. When a medicine capable of producing effects similar to the disease to be treated is administered, or, as the Homceopathists would put it, "Similia similibus curantur" it is on the principle that a patient suffering from the effects of inherent heat must be treated with a remedy apparently hot, but really cooling in its effects,