Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/611

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N. 0. GRAMINEÆ.

1361

confounding. Rakta sali popularly known as Daudkhani is the variety of rice that is considered superior to all others and suited for use by sick persons. The preparations of rice used in sick diet and described in Sanskrit medical works are as follows : —

Yavâgû or powdered rice boiled with water for the use of the sick and convalescent. It is made of three strengths, namely, with nine, eleven and nineteen parts of water, called respectively Vilepi, Peya and Manda. Sometimes, instead of water, a decoction of medicinal herbs is used in preparing yavagu. Thus, for example, if it is ordered to give the patient yavagu made with ginger and long pepper, the process adopted in preparing it is as follows. Take of dry ginger and long -pepper, one tola each, boil in four seers of water till reduced to two and strain. Now take nine, eleven or nineteen parts of this strained decoction and one part of powdered rice for making yavâgû of the strength ordered.

Lâjâ, (Vern. Khai), is paddy fried in a sand bath. The husks open out and the rice swells into a light spongy body. It is considered a light article of diet suited to invalids and dyspeptics.

Bhrishta tandula, (Vern. Muri) is rice fried in a sand bath. This is also a light preparation of rice and is given to sick persons as a substitute for boiled rice. It is also much used by the poorer classes for tiffin and early breakfast.

Prithuka, (Vern. Chura). To prepare this, paddy is moistened and lightly fried. It is then flattened and husked. This preparation of rice is given with curdled milk (dadhi) in dysentery. It is well washed and softened in water or boiled before use.

Payasa is a preparation of rice with nine parts of milk.

Tandulambu is water in which unboiled rice has been steeped. This sort of rice-water is sometimes prescribed as a vehicle for some powders and confections."

Boiled rice, when hot, or if not so, made hot by steeping it in boiling water for sometime, has been used for making poultice as a substitute for linseed meal or flour.