EAP810/22/53

Titles in original script:

நூல் 1: தலைப்பு இல்லை (மருத்துவ தகவல்கள்)நூல் 2: தலைப்பு இல்லை (மருந்து செய்முறைகள்)நூல் 3: தலைப்பு இல்லை (மருத்துவ தகவல்கள்);

The manuscript is constituted of three short texts, incomplete. The texts, written in prose, concern mostly the medical field. The manuscript is in good condition.

Text 1: The text contains three leaves numbered 1, 2 and 4. It describes the preparation of a few medicines by indicating the adjuvant, the appropriate time of administration and the diseases against which they act: Matuṇṇi racāyaṇam recommended for treating urinary tract infections (mēkam), enlargement of lymph nodes in neck region (kaṇṭamālai), diseases caused by vāta imbalance, flatus (vāyu) and skin diseases (kuṭṭam); Karuvaṅka parpam; and a medicine not named (maruntu) administrated with sugar cane, unrefined sugar palm (palm jaggery or karuppaṭṭi) or honey for treating skin diseases (kuṭṭa nōykaḷ)

Text 2: The text is made up of one leaf. It describes the preparation of Tāḷaka pataṅkam which, when administrated with honey or butter is recommended to treat tuberculosis, and the preparation of medicines (maruntu) for treating eye disorders such as watery production in eyes (nīr pāyccal), infection of the eyelids (puḻuveṭṭu), cataract (kaṇpū), muscular growth in eyes (pitta kācam), blurred vision (ākāca paṭalam) and night blindness (mālaikkaṉ). It informs on the posology of these medicines and their mode of administration including the adjuvant.

Text 3: The text is formed by palm leaves numbered from 1 to 17 (the leaves 1 and 2 are numbered recto and verso from 1 to 4) and a broken leaf which has no longer a number. It provides preparation of medicines by specifying the quantity of raw material and medicinal plants used in the formulations, the dosage and method of administration including the appropriate adjuvant. The medicines presented in the text concern Racavaṅka paṟpam and Pañca paṟpam, Uppu kaṭṭu and Cātiliṅka kaṭṭu and Vaṅka tirāvakam. The text describes preparation of medical products non named, among them several medicines (maruntu) for treating eye diseases (kaṇ nōy), discharge of pus from ears (kātil cīḻ), facial palsy (muka vātam), cough (irumal), bronchial asthma (iḷaippu), haemoptysis (ratta kācam), menorrhagia (perumpāṭu), flatus (vayaṟu aḻaiccal), piles (mūlam), some types of urinary tract infections (veṇmēkam, ratta mēkam, mēka cūṭu), jaundice (mañcaḷ kāmālai), convulsions (āṉai - kutirai valippu), skin diseases (kuṭṭam), fungal infection (paṭar tāmarai), insect bites (vaṇṭu kaṭi, cil viṣam), and an ointment (kaḷimpu) for treating all types of wounds (cakala puṇ).

The text explains the method to prepare artificially camphor (cūṭaṉ) and borneol (pacca kaṟpūram).

The text presents also some mantiraṅkaḷ and yantiraṅkaḷ used to identify medicinal plants (mūlikai) which have the power to mesmerise (vaciyam) people, acting to control (eval) the evil spirits, to activate the sacred ash (vipūti) used in magical acts, as well as a cyclic drawing (cakkaram) to worship the god Civaṉ (Citamparam).

Size of the manuscript: 28.0cm x 4.3cm. The palm leaves of the text 1 are numbered 1, 2 and 4; that of the text 2 is numbered 1; and those of the text 3 from 1 to 17. There are many blank leaves among them those numbered from 12 to 20, 37 to 44, 46 to 62 and 89 to 107 are not digitised. The last leaves with some scrips is numbered 108. The manuscript is in good condition, except for the last leaf.