EAP810/23/14

Title in original script: பல திரட்டு

The manuscript is composed of a text numbered from 1 to 224. There are missing leaves: from 13 to 25; 63 to 69; 71; 151 to 165; 187 to 189; 208 to 211; and from 222 to 223. The deciphering of the numbers is particularly difficult as there is a lot of confusion, two-three numbers being inscribed on each leaf. The manuscript is in excellent condition.

The text, entitled Pala tiraṭṭu, is written in Tamil in prose and verses, excepted for two leaves written in Grantha which explain some śloka-s drawing from ayurvedic texts.

The text is a copy, incomplete, of the manuscript identified as Suneel_PK_MSS17. The description of its text is copied here: the text focuses on formulations of medicines, the measurement of raw materials, the process of calcination of iatrochemical products including the place to conduct this task and the time to finish the process, the appropriate month to prepare medicines, as well as the diseases the formulations target. It provides information on the appropriate time to take remedies based on iatrochemical products, and on the anti-dotes to neutralise the power and adverse effects of these remedies.

The medicinal formulations exposed in the text are :

Medicated oils: Arukaṉ vēr tailam, Kārmēka tailam, Veḷḷai veṅkāya tailam and Pāṣāṇa tailam; Pūvaracaṅkāy eṇṇey, Kiranti eṇṇey, Māntāti eṇṇey, Cañcīvi eṇṇey and Elumiccam paḻa eṇṇey, as well as eṇṇey for treating vāta diseases, flatulence (vāyu), diseases in pregnant women (karppa rōkam), menorragia (perumpāṭu), all types of urinary tract infection (cakala mēkam), delirium (caṉṉi), deafness (kātumantam, iraiccal), eye diseases (kaṇ nōy), enlargement of lymph node in neck (kaṇṭamālai), swelling (kaṭṭi), itching (ūṟal), and eczema (karappāṉ).

Pills: Centūra māttirai, Urukkumāṉa māttirai, Pañcikaraṇa māttirai and Kārīya māttirai.

Calcined white medicine prepared from metals and minerals: Nāka paṟpam and Tāmira paṟpam; Pāṣāṇa cuṇṇam.

Calcined red medicine prepared from metals and minerals: Tāmira vāla raca centūram and 30 types of Centūram (Centūram-30).

Wax like medicines: Pāṣāṇa meḻuku and Liṅka meḻuku.

Stone-like medicine: Raca kaṭṭu, Cātiliṅka kaṭṭu, Liṅka kaṭṭu, Aritāra kaṭṭu, Pāṣāṇa kaṭṭu, Vīra kaṭṭu and Uppu kaṭṭu.

The text explains the combination of iron and copper (ayaccempu) and the methods of detoxifying arsenic (pāṣāṇa muṟaikaḷ), copper (tāmira cutti), mercury (racam) with ayacempu.

The text exposes the methods for maintaining a healthy life which include taking hot bath, drinking milk and adequate amount of water after meals, observing dietary restriction and, for males, having intercourses with younger women.

The leaves, written in Grantha, which come from Sanskrit literature, explain the diseases affecting the present life as being the result of sins committed during the previous lives. In order to optimise efficacy of the treatment’s efficacy, individuals have to observe the rules of conduct defined in the ayurveda, i.e. to do charitable actions, to worship gods and to offer food to Brahmins, before taking medicine. The efficacy of treatment is dependent on the appropriate time to take medicine prescribed by the practitioner, on care by both the attendant and the female nursing assistant of the patient, as well as on the quality of remedies.

Size of the manuscript: 32,0cm x 4,0cm. The text is composed of palm leaves numbered from 1 to 224; the leaves from 13 to 25; 63 to 69; 71; 151 to 165; 187 to 189; 208 to 211; and from 222 to 223 are missing. There are 2 leaves n° 30 and 77, a small leaf placed between the leaves n° 53 and 54, and a broken leaf without number placed at the end of the manuscript. The manuscript is in excellent condition; a few leaves are broken or very darkened by fungus infestation.