Page:A Short History of Aryan Medical Science.djvu/58

50 of charms, talismans, and incantations as remedial measures in sickness can be traced to almost all the nations on our globe.

A woman in her confinement should be most particular about her regimen. She should take no 'cooling food,' and should abstain from all bodily exertion, from sexual intercourse, and from anger. She should eat moderately and continue the necessary fomentation. Dhanvantari says that the woman's period of confinement is over after a month and a half; though she should be allowed rest for full three months. No matter requires greater attention than the quality of the mother's milk. Good milk mixes readily with water without changing colour, contains no fila- ments, and is white, cool, and not too thick. Milk which when mixed with water floats on the surface or sinks down, or which forms yellow spherules and is sticky and astringent in taste, is bad. A woman can improve her milk by taking green gram gruel for food and a decoction of Patol (Trichosanthes dioica), Nimba (Melia azadirachta), Asana (Bridelia tomentosa), Daru (Pinus deodara), Patha (Cissampelos glabra), Murvya (Sanseviera zeylanica), Gaduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Katurohini (Picorrhiza kurroo) and dry ginger. If the employment of a wet-