EAP810/5/12

Titles in original script:

நூல் 1: அகத்தியர் பரிபூரணம்நூல் 2: ஆதி சாஸ்திரம்நூல் 3: மருந்து வாகடம்;

The manuscript is composed of three texts, incomplete, dealing with diverse aspects of medical matter. The texts are written in both prose and verses. The manuscript is in average condition; the leaves are darkened and many have their scripts partly damaged by mould.

Text 1- The text, entitled Akattiyar Paripūraṇam, is composed of palm leaves numbered from 1 to 29. The text concern the pulse (nāṭi) for which it explains its states (naṭai) notably in males (puruṣa nāṭi), and according involvement of the five elements (pañcapūta nāṭi), and the characteristic of the complete pulse or kuru nāṭi.

The text describes the formulation of a mercury based medicine called Caṇṭamārutam. It explains the method to prepare artificially (vaippu) some products: soap stone (cavukkāram), mercuric chloride (cavvīram), calomel (raca kaṟpūram) and borneol (paccai kaṟpūram).

It approach magic for which it mentions the technique to mesmerise a person (vaciyam) and to neutralise evil spirits (pūta māraṇam) and the eight magical acts (aṣṭa karma pāvai).

Text 2- The text, entitled Āti Cāstiram, is formed of palm leaves numbered from 30 to 57. The text provides information on the medical practitioner and on medical matter.

It describes the qualities and intelligence of a practitioner according his/her birth. It details aetiology of diseases. It exposes processes to purify certain medicines once they are prepared. It explains some medicines used as substitutes for treating diseases. It informs on the suitable time to take remedies, their appropriate dosage. It indicates the dietary regimen, including consumption of betel, patients under medication have to observe, as well as the type of dress they have to wear.

Text 3- The text, entitled Maruntu Vākaṭam, is constituted of palm leaves numbered from 58 to 74.The text presents the preparation of following medicines which include the medicated oils called Caṟuvāṅka tailam, Aiṅkōla tailam and Kecari tailam, the pills callled Pūpati kuḷikai, Tiripalāti kuḷikai, Periya āṉanta pairavaṉ kuḷikai and Pañcapāṇa kuḷikai, a waxy medicine named Eḷḷu kuḻampu, a medicine, not categorised (maruntu), used to arrest vomiting (vānti niṟutta) and a gruel (paṟpa kañci) which allows for rehydrating the body (uṭal nīr).

Size of the manuscript: 32.0cm x 3.1cm. The palm leaves are numbred from 1 to 74 in Tamil and Arab (text1: 1-29; text 2: 30-57 and text 3: 58-74). The manuscript is in average condition; the leaves are darkened, and many of them, notably the last one, have their scripts partly damaged by mould.