95. Medicine

Chapter. 95. Medicine
Kural - 941
The learned books count three, with wind as first; of these,
As any one prevail, or fail; 'twill cause disease.
Meaning :If (food and work are either) excessive or deficient, the three things enumerated by (medical) writers, flatulence, biliousness, and phlegm, will cause (one) disease.
Kural - 942
No need of medicine to heal your body's pain,
If, what you ate before digested well, you eat again.
Meaning :No medicine is necessary for him who eats after assuring (himself) that what he has (already) eaten has been digested.
Kural - 943
Who has a body gained may long the gift retain,
If, food digested well, in measure due he eat again..
Meaning : If (one's food has been) digested let one eat with moderation; (for) that is the way to prolong the life of an embodied soul..
Kural - 944
Knowing the food digested well, when hunger prompteth thee,
With constant care, the viands choose that well agree.
Meaning : (First) assure yourself that your food has been digested and never fail to eat, when very hungry, whatever is not disagreeable (to you).
Kural - 945
With self-denial take the well-selected meal;
So shall thy frame no sudden sickness feel.
Meaning :There will be no disaster to one's life if one eats with moderation, food that is not disagreeable.
Kural - 946
On modest temperance as pleasures pure,
So pain attends the greedy epicure.
Meaning :As pleasure dwells with him who eats moderately, so disease (dwells) with the glutton who eats voraciously..
Kural - 947
Who largely feeds, nor measure of the fire within maintains,
That thoughtless man shall feel unmeasured pains.
Meaning :He will be afflicted with numberless diseases, who eats immoderately, ignorant (of the rules of health).
Kural - 948
Disease, its cause, what may abate the ill:
Let leech examine these, then use his skill.
Meaning : Let the physician enquire into the (nature of the) disease, its cause and its method of cure and treat it faithfully according to (medical rule).
Kural - 949
The habitudes of patient and disease, the crises of the ill
These must the learned leech think over well, then use his skill.
Meaning :The learned (physician) should ascertain the condition of his patient; the nature of his disease, and the season (of the year) and (then) proceed (with his treatment).
Kural - 950
For patient, leech, and remedies, and him who waits by patient's side,
The art of medicine must fourfold code of laws provide.
Meaning : Medical science consists of four parts, viz., patient, physician, medicine and compounder; and each of these (again) contains four sub-divisions.