EAP810/22/44

Title in original script: அகத்தியர் நாலு காண்ட வைத்தியம்

The manuscript is composed of a text containing 129 palm leaves numbered from 681 to 838; many leaves are missing from that n°771. The manuscript is in very bad condition, all the leaves which formed a block stuck by mildew, are more and less damaged and several are broken. The manuscript remains very fragile.

The text corresponds to the third chapter of Akattiyar Nālu Kāṇṭa Vaittiyam which has four chapters. The text, written in verses, presents preparation of medicines:

Dried plant powders: Piraṇṭai cūraṇam

Medicated oils: Carvāṅka tailam as well as oils (eṇṇey) for treating delirium (caṉṉi), diseases during pregnancy (kerpa nōy), eye diseases (kaṇ nōy) and an oil applied on head before taking bath (talai muḻuka).

Calcined white medicines prepared from metals and minerals: Navalōka paṟpam, Cempu paṟpam, Nāka paṟpam, Raca kaṟpūra paṟpam, Pavaḷa paṟpam, Aṉṉapēti paṟpam, Pañcalavaṇa paṟpam, Cilācattu paṟpam, Tirirvaṅka paṟpam, Cavukāra paṟpam, Maṭal tutta paṟpam, Mirutāraciṅki paṟpam, Kaṭal nurai paṟpam, Veṭiyuppu paṟpam, Kantaka paṟpam, Kaṟiyuppu paṟpam, Vaḷaiyaluppu paṟpam, Caṅku paṟpam, Ciṅki paṟpam, Arappoṭi paṟpam and Veṅkala paṟpam; Turicu nīṟu; as well as a paṟpam for treating eye disease (kaṇ kuntam).

Calcined red medicines prepared from metals and minerals: Pavaḷa centūram, Uppu centūram, Raca centūram and Aṉṉapēti centūram.

Pills: Tiripura māttirai.

An electuary (lekiyam) for treating diseases that may occur when medicines for rejuvenation and longevity are consumed

(kaṟpam).

Pungent products: Turucu ceyanīr.

Mercury-based medicine: Pañcapūta kaḷaṅku.

Medicines obtained from sublimation: Pācāṇa pataṅkam.

Medicines (maruntu; not named) for treating all diseases (cakala viyāti), insanity (paittiyam), scrotal swelling (aṇṭa vāyu), menorrhagia (perumpāṭu), growth in eyes (kaṇ paṭalam), headache (maṇṭaiyiṭi), tooth ache (tanta vāyu), fissures in heel (pitta veṭippu), carbuncles (piḷavai), thirst (tākam) and hemorrhoids (mūlanōy)

A medicated pancake made of rice flour and medicinal plants (aṭai maruntu) for treating dysentery (kirāṇi).

The text describes borneal (paccai kaṟpūram) and cuttle fish bone (karuṭa paccai), the process to purify mica (apraka navanītam) and the method to prepare artificially (vaippu) sal ammoniac (navācāram), potash alum (cīṉam), copper sulfate (turucu), borax (veṅkāram), rock salt (intuppu) and potassium nitrate (veṭiyuppu).

The text deals with magic as well. It presents mantiraṅkaḷ used to invocate the goddess Paccai Kāḷi, to get rid of sins (karma nivartti), to provoke differences of opinion between two persons (pētaṉam), to change appearance of things (urumāṟṟu), to stop ejaculation of semen (vintu kaṭṭa), to hatch eggs of cuckoo (kuyil muṭṭai) and to make a dog dumb (nāy vāy kaṭṭa). It specifies two manner to mesmerise, rāja vaciyam and añcaṉa tēvi vaciyam, and the preparation of a powder used to mesmerise individuals (vāṭai poṭi).

Size of the manuscript: 30.0cm x 3.4cm. The 129 palm leaves are numbered from 681 to 771 and 799 to 838 ; the leaves from 805 to 809 are missing. There are three leaves without a number. The manuscript is in very bad state. All the leaves, which formed a block stuck by mould, are more and less damaged and several are broken. The manuscript remains very fragile.