The Sushruta Samhita — trans. Bhishagratna

26 .

IVIemorable Verse :— The remedy proves efficacious in Vata-roga through its heat-making potency, power of liquifying and secreting the deranged Doshas and of restoring and correcting them as well. 27,

Thus ends the fourlh Chapter of the Chikitsila Sthanam in the
Sus'ruta Samhita which deals with the treatment of Vata-\ yadhi.

* The total weight of these powders should be one-fourth of the weight of the rock-salt taken in ihe course of the preparation.— Ddllana.

I

K

CHAPTER Y.

Now we shall discourse on the chapter which deals with the medical treatment of IVIaha-V^ta-

Vyadhi. i.

Several authorities group the disease Vata-Rakta under two different sub-heads, such as superficial and deep-seated. But such a classification is arbitrary and unscientific, inasmuch as this disease first manifests itself on the surface (layer of the skin) like Kushtha and gradually invades the deeper tissues of the body. Hence there are no (two) forms of this disease. i-2.

Causes of V^ta-Rakta :— The Vayu of the body is enraged or agitated by such causes as wrestling with a man of superior and uncommon physical strength, etc., while the blood is vitiated by such causes as constant over-eating of edibles which are of difficult digestion and heat-making in their potency or ingestion of food before the digestion of the previous meal. The Vayu thus enraged and agitated enters into the bloodcarrying channels of the body and being obstructed in its passage, becomes mixed with the vitiated blood. The deranged Vayu and the blood thus combine to give rise to a disease characterised by the specific symptoms of each, which is known as Vaita-Rakta. The characteristic pain, which at first confines itself to the extremities, gradually extends over the whole body.

Premonitory symptoms of Vstta-

Rakta : —The disease is ushered in with a pricking pain, a burning and an itching sensation (in the affected part), a swelling, roughness and numbness (anaesthesia) of the diseased locality, throbbing of the veins, ligaments,

p. 38

^9^ tHE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. V.

[Chap. V.

nerves and arteries, a weakness in the thighs and sudden appearance of red or brownish circular patches on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, fingers and heels, etc., (A. R. — wrists). If neglected and immoderately treated in its premonitory stages, the disease soon develops its characteristic symptoms in succession, which have been described before ; whereas (a lifelong) deformity (of the affected part) is the penalty for neglecting it (in its fully patent or developed stage). 3.

Memorable Verse : — Men of a mild and delicate constitution, as well as those who are (inordinately) stout or sedentary in their habits or are addicted to unwholesome and incompatible food, etc., are generally found to be susceptible to an attack of Vaita-Rakta. 4.

PrOgTIOSiS : — A physician is advised to take in hand the medical treatment of a Vata-Rakta-patient who has as yet not lost much strength and muscle, nor is afflicted with thirst, fever, epileptic fits, dyspnoea, cough, numbness (of the affected part), aversion to food, indigestion, extension and contraction of the limb, as well as of a person who is strong and temperate in his living and can afford to pay for the diet and other necessary accessories of the treatement. 5.

Preliminary remedial measures :— in

the first stage of the disease the blood, having become vitiated owing to its being obstructed in its course (by the unusually agitated Vayu in the system), should be gradually and not profusely bled, except when the body would be found to have become extremely dry or to have lost its natural healthful glow or complexion through the action of the aggravated morbific principle (Vdyu), for fear of further aggravating the Vayu. Emetics, purgatives, and Vasti (enemas), etc., should be administered and the patient should be made to take a diet consistingp. 299 of old and matured clarified butter (and boiled rice), in the case where the aggravated condition of the deranged Vayu would be found to predominate. As an alternative, he should be made to drink a potion consisting of goat's milk mixed with half its quantity of oil, with two Tola weight of Yashti-madhu or goat's milk cooked with Pris'niparni (two Tola weight) with honey and sugar (added after cooking), or cooked with S'unthi, S'ringdtaka, and Kas'eruka, or cooked with Syamd, Rdsnd, Sushavi, Pris'niparni^ Pilu, S'atdvari, S'vadojnshtrd and Das'a-fmda. 6

p. 6

Oil, cooked with the addition ol milk previously boiled with the decoction of Das'a-mula of eight times its own weight and a Kalka of Madhuka, Mesha-s'ringi (A. R. Sarngashta), S'vadmnshtrd, Sarala, Bhadra-ddru^ Vachd and Surabhi pasted together, should be administered in drinks, etc , (viz , anointment, sprinkling, etc.\ As an alternative, the oil cooked with the decoction of S'atdvari, Mayuraka, Madhuka, Kshira-Viddri^ Vald, Ati-vald and Trina-pancha-mula . with the paste of the drugs belonging to the Kdkolyddi group, or the oil^^ cooked with the decoction and a Kalka of Vala for a hundred times should be prescribed for the patient. The affected part should be washed with the milk, boiled with the roots of the Vata-hara (Vayu-subduing) drugs (?>., Das'a-mula), or simply with Amla (gruel, etc.), or a plaster composed of barley, Madhuka, Eranda (castor) and Varshdbhu (pasted together and heated), should be applied to the part. 7.

Plasters, etc. : — Barley, wheat, sesamum,
Mudga pulse aud Masha pulse should be taken in equal

* According to Jejjata Acharyya, the *' Vala-Taila", which is administered in the medical treatment of Mudha-garbha, should be prescribed in this case.

p. 300

parts and pounded separately ; and the paste of the following drugs, viz., Kdkoli, Kshira-kdkoli, /ivaka, RishabhakUy Vald, Ati-vald^ Visa-mrindla (lotus stem), Pris'niparni, Mesha-s'ringi, Piydla^ S'arkard (sugar), Kas'eruka, Surabhi, and Vachd should be mixed with each of the preceding powders and each of these compounds (so formed) should be boiled with milk, oil, lard, marrow and clarified butter. The five compounds, thus prepared, are called Pa^yasas, which should be applied as a hot poultice (Upandha) to the affected part ; or an Utkarikgk, made of the pulp of oily fruit (seeds) * (prepared by cooking them with milk) should be applied ; or powders of wheat, barley, sesamum, Mudga pulse, or Masha pulse, and Vesavdra, made of various kinds of fish and flesh, should be used as a plaster. Vilvapes'ikd, Tagara, Deva-ddru, Sarald^ Rdsnd, Harenu, Kushtha, S'ata-pushpd, Eld, Surd and cream of milk-curd pasted together, should be applied to the affected part as a plaster (UpanaLha'. As an alternative, the expressed juice of Matulunga, mixed with Kanjika, Saindhava salt and clarified butter, pasted together with the root of the Madhu-s'igru and with sesamum,-]- should be used in a similar way. The preceding remedies should be administered in a case of Vaita-Rakta maiked by a preponderance of the aggravated Vayu. 8.