Page:A Short History of Aryan Medical Science.djvu/185

IX.] Omens are carefully watched by the Hindoo physicians before attending their patients. Favourable omens are such as the following : kettle-drum, tabour, conch, umbrella, cow with calf, virgin, woman with baby, two Brahmans, fish, horse, skylark, peacock, deer, mongoose, elephant, fruit, milk, flowers, dancing-girl, smokeless fire, flesh, spirituous liquor, sword, shield, dagger, washerman with dry-washed clothes, curds, cereals, banner, full water-pot, etc. The unlucky omens are fuel, hide, grass, smoky fire, snake, chaff, raw cotton, barren woman, oil, molasses, enemy, quarrelling people, one besmeared with ointment, scavenger, eunuch, butter-milk, mud, wet clothes, mendicant, ascetic, beggar, lunatic, one-eyed person, corpse, crow, jackal, empty water-pot, etc. These omens are observed with a view to enable the physician to prognosticate the favourable or unfavourable result of his attendance. They must be met with accidentally by the physician while on his way to the patient. But if the messenger who is sent to call the doctor sees on his way any of the omens enumerated above as good, it is bad for the patient ; if he sees any of the bad ones it bodes good for the patient.