Part 18 - Dosage of medicine

Generally, in all diseases, prescribe for adults 4 entire pills, each of full dose, taken at an interval of two or three hours. The dose, mentioned here, should be continued in the same way every day till recovery. Then reduce the number to two pills a day, for some days; after which, prescribe only one pill a day, and then stop the medicine altogether only after complete cure. Medicines mixed with poison of black cobra should be given only once in a case, in the most critical stage of cholera and typhoid. The medicine, called “parpati”, is to be taken once in a day. It should be commenced with two raktis, being taken early in the morning, the dose being increased by one rakti every day, till it reaches 10 raktis which is to continue till full recovery. Then the dose is to be reduced by one rakti every day till the medicine is entirely given up. Medicine, mixed with the pitta (bile) of certain animals is to be given once in a day. No consideration is necessary where the dose is mentioned in the books, otherwise, it should be decided upon with intelligence and discrimination. Where no dose is mentioned, prepare a pill one rakti in weight each.