Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Their surfaces are thin (that is, they are not elevated) ;

Their inner surfaces are oily ;

They have a white and red gloss ;

They appear densely on the body ;

The pains they cause are slight ;

They do not itch and burn much, and the discharge of pus and ‘Lasika’ from them is- not much ;

Their rise and growth are rapid ;

They do not abound with worms, and they do not burst much ;

Their colour is like that of the flowers of Cucurbita lagenaria. 24

Those varieties of Leprosy should be known as ‘Kakanaka’ which have the following symptoms :

They are of the colour of the fruit of Abrus precatorius at the outset ;

Subsequently the symptoms of all other varieties of Leprosy manifest themselves ;

In consequence of the manifestation of the symptoms of all the varieties of Leprosy, those sinful wretches that have it discover vari¬ ous colours on their bodies. 25

These (viz., the varieties known as ‘Kakanaka’) are incurable. The others (viz., the preceding six) are curable.

Those varieties that are incurable never transcend incurabjity,*

Those, again, that are curable, sometimes transcend curability in consequence of the patient’s indulgence in baneful or forbidden practices, f

Excepting the ‘Kakanaka’ varieties, the six other varieties of Leprosy which are curable become incurable in consequence of indul¬ gence in baneful (or forbidden) practices and through complications caused by excessive excitement of the faults. 27

Of these varieties, which are curable, one feature, if they are suffered to remain untreated, is that worms are generated in the

=1= I. e., never become curable. — T. t I. e. become incurable. — T.

p. 978

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

rotting skin, flesh, blood, ‘Lasika,’ gangrenous sloughs , foetid secre¬ tions, and sweat.

These worms living upon the rotten matter, and the faults them¬ selves becoming more excited and vitiating the system, produce the following supervening symptoms of separate classes.* 28

Amongst the several faults, the wind produces a dark and red colour, as also roughness, dryness, excessive pain ; inflammatory swell¬ ing, piercing pains, tremours, horripilation, contraction, distension, stupefaction, numbness, bursting, and breaking.

The bile produces a burning sensation, copious perspiration, foetid secretions, gangrene, itching, watery discharges, suppuration, and red¬ ness of hue.

The phlegm produces coolness, whiteness of colour, itching, hard¬ ness, extendedness, elevation, oiliness, and slough.

As regards the worms, they eat up the bone, beginning with skin,f the nerves, the sinews, and soft bones. 39

In this condition the following symptoms assail the patient :

They are, —

Discharge of secretions ;

Bursting of the affected parts ;

Falling off. of limbs ;

Thirst, fever, diarrhoea, burning, weakness, disgust for food, and indigestion.

When the disease presents such indications, it becomes incurable. 3° ( Here occur some verses.)

That man who neglects a disease at the outset, thinking it to be curable, awakens, after the lapse of a short time, to the conviction that he is already dead. 31

He (on the other hand) who has recourse to adequate medicaments before the manifestation of diseases as also while diseases are new¬ born, enjoys happiness for a long while. 32

Even a young tree may be cut down with little labour ; but it re¬ quires great exertipns to cut it down when it attains to full growth, 23 after the same manner, disease, when young, admits of easy cure,

* /. e. the wind, the bile, and the phlegm produce separate kinds of supervening symp¬ toms, as is explained in the aphorisms that follow. — T. t I. e. skin, flesh, blood, and ‘Lasika.’

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 979

but when it gains in vigour, it is cured with difficulty or becomes incurable. 33

( Here is a verse containing a summary ).

Numbers, articles, faults, causes, incubatory manifestations, symp¬ toms, and supervening in dications of the several varieties of Leprosy, have been set forth, under several heads, in the Nidana of Kushthas.’*i Thus ends Lesson V, called ‘Kushtha-Nidana’ in the Division called Chikitsita, of the treatise of Agnivega as revised by Charaka.

LESSON VI. ;

We shall now expound the ‘Nidana’ of Phthisis.

Thus said the illustrious son of Atri. i

It should first be observed that there are four principal causes of Phthisis.

They are I. acts of rashness, 2. suppression (of the urgings of stools, urine, &c.), 3. loss (or waste) of the ingredients of the body, and 4. food consisting of inharmonious elements.

We shall now, in this connection, expound what acts of rashness are which have been declared to be one of the causes of Phthisis.