be expected from their superhuman character.

Professor Wilson published in the _Oriental Magazine_, in 1823, some
notices on early Hindoo Medicine, and he points out that the tradition
is, that the above “two Aswins instructed Indra in medical and surgical
art, that Indra instructed Dahnwantari; although others make Atreya,
Bharadwaja, and Charaka prior to the latter:--Charaka’s work, which goes
by his name, is extant. Dahnwantari is also styled Kasi-rajah, or Prince
of Kasi, or Benares. His disciple was Susruta, his work also exists.”

The Ayur-Veda, as the oldest medical writings of the Hindoos are
collectively called, was divided into eight divisions. These are
described by Professor Wilson as follows:--

“1st. _Salya._--The art of extracting extraneous substances, violently
or accidentally introduced into the body, with the treatment of the
inflammation and suppuration thereby induced.

“The word _Salya_ means a dart or arrow, and points clearly to the
origin of this branch of Hindoo science.

“2nd. _Salakya._--The treatment of external affections or diseases of
the eyes, nose, ears, &c.

“3rd, _Kayao Chikitsa._--The general application of medicine to the
body, or the science of medicine, as opposed to surgery under the two
first heads.

“4th. _Bhutavidya_, or demonology: the act of casting out demons, which
we may take to mean the treatment of insanity, such as it was.