Page:A Short History of Aryan Medical Science.djvu/70

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

62

PRINCIPLES OF HYGIENE

[Chap. V.

drops, if they consist of vegetable juice, should be used before eating, and if of oil, after sun-set. Oil well rubbed into the soles of the feet strengthens the legs and prevents Assuring of the skin. It also induces sleep and improves the vision. As serpents never go near an eagle, so, it is said, diseases do not approach a person who is in the habit of taking physical exercise and anointing his limbs with oil. The whole body is energised if anointed before the daily bath. But the anointment is deprecated in fresh cases of fevers, indigestion, anaemia, or vomiting. It is also to be avoided by one who has taken a cathartic. Anointment is followed by bathing. Every Hindoo is required to bathe*^[1] at

↑ * Among Hindoos bathing is included as part of their religions duty. Manu's ordinance is : — "Early in the morning let him void faeces, bathe, decorate his body, clean his teeth, apply collyrium to his eyes, and worship the gods" (iv. 203). Yajnavalkya also recommends ablution as one of the required religious observances (iii. 314). As a rule, bathing is a pre-recjuisite to the morning meal, though not a few of the higher classes perform ablution before taking their evening meal also, as well as after touching any unclean thing. Hindoos boast that they are the most cleanly nation in the world, and this statement is borne out by a remark of Sir William Hunter, who says : "It is needless to say that the Indian Hindoos stand out as examples of bodily cleanliness among Asiatic races, and, we may add, among the races of the world. The ablutions of the Hindoo have passed into a proverb. His religion demands them, and the custom of ages has made them a prime necessity of his daily life."

[1] * Among Hindoos bathing is included as part of their religions duty. Manu's ordinance is : — "Early in the morning let him void faeces, bathe, decorate his body, clean his teeth, apply collyrium to his eyes, and worship the gods" (iv. 203). Yajnavalkya also recommends ablution as one of the required religious observances (iii. 314). As a rule, bathing is a pre-recjuisite to the morning meal, though not a few of the higher classes perform ablution before taking their evening meal also, as well as after touching any unclean thing. Hindoos boast that they are the most cleanly nation in the world, and this statement is borne out by a remark of Sir William Hunter, who says : "It is needless to say that the Indian Hindoos stand out as examples of bodily cleanliness among Asiatic races, and, we may add, among the races of the world. The ablutions of the Hindoo have passed into a proverb. His religion demands them, and the custom of ages has made them a prime necessity of his daily life."

[1]