Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Imitating the sounds of ‘vina,’ flutes, conch-shells, and ‘gamya,’ and striking of palms against each other, unmelodiously ;f Proceeding on vehicles that are never used as such by others : Bedecking the person with such things as are never used for orna¬ mentation by others ;

Desire for such food and drinks as are absent, or not" within reach ; Disregard for such food and drink as 'are present or within reach ; Fierceness or fury of disposition ;

Malice or incapacity to bear the sight of other people’s happiness ; Emaciation of the body ;

Roughness of the body :

Redness of the eyes which seem, again, to come out ;

Increase of the violence of the disease by such articles as are con¬ trary to what alleviate the wind.J These are the symptoms of Insanity born of the wind. 5 The following are the symptoms of Insanity bom of the bile : Incapacity to bear the least annoyance ;

Exhibition of wrath ;

Indulgence in boastfulness ;

* Gangadhara adds ‘abhikshnam’ before ‘smita’ &c. Others drop it correctly, for a mad man does not really indulge in smiles, &c., always. — T.

f ‘Vina’ is a musical instrument consisting of two gourds connected together by a hollow bamboo measuring about 3 feet, along which are laid a number of wires of iron and brass. There are frets laid across the bamboo, and only one of the wires is struck with the plectrum.

Gangadhara reads ‘gaspa’ for ‘gamya.’ ‘fjaspa’ would hardly yield any meaning in this connection. It ordinarily implies grass. It may be taken here as implying pipes made of reeds or long grass. But this would be farfetched. ‘(Jamya’ is also a doubtful word. Here it probably means a hollow pipe made of wood, yielding a kind of shrill sound. The word has sometimes been used to signify dishes of white brass which are used by Vaishnavas for making the sounds of drums lower and less monotonous. These dishes are otherwise called ‘karatala. — T.

+ This is a periphrastic way of saying that the disease gains in intensity through use of such articles as provoke the wind. Thus oils and ghees alleviate the wind. Things that are dry provoke the wind. The use of articles of the latter kind add to the vigour or intensity of the wind. — T.

p. 992

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

Rushing at relatives or strangers, with weapons, brick-bats, whips, clubs, or closed fists, or striking them therewith ; *

Desire for shady places, cold water, and food ;

Excessive heat of the body (accompanied by burning sensation) ; A coppery, or green, or yellow colour of the eyes which, besides, become steadfast ; and

Increase of the violence of the disease, by such objects as are con¬ trary to what alleviates the bile. 6 The following are the symptoms of Insanity born of the phlegm : Sitting in one place (for long hours and from day to day) ;

Rigid observance of taciturnity ;

Taking short walks ;

Discharge of salivary and phlegmonous secretions from the mouth and the nose ;

Absence of desire for food ;

Desire for solitude and privacy ;

An aspect that excites abomination ;

Aversion for' purity ;

Excess of sleep ;

Dropsical swellings on the face ;

Paleness and fixedness of the eyes which, besides, become covered with filthy secretions ;

Increase of the violence of the disease by such objects as are con¬ trary to what alleviates the phlegm. 1 Insanity should be known as born of all the three faults when the symptoms presented are those, in a combined state, of each of the faults (as enumerated above).

Such Insanity is regarded incurable by those who are well versed in the science of medicine. 8

Of the three varieties of Insanity {viz., wind-born, bile-born, and phlegm-born), f the remedies are —

Administration of medicated oils and ghees ; .

* Abhidravanam’ is pursuing or rushing at. ‘Swesham’ (genetive) implies ‘of men who are the patient’ s own,’ that is, kinsmen and friends. - Some of the Bengali translators take the word as implying the patient, that is, the Insane person himself. This is a downright error— T.

+ The incurable being that which is born of all the three faults. — T,

CHARAKA-SAMHITA,

p. 993

Application of ‘sweda’ ;*

Administration of emetics, and purgatives including enemata of both the oily and the dry kinds ;

Administration of errhines or cerebral purgatives ;

Fumigation (by means of proper medicaments and articles endued with extraordinary virtues) ;

Causing the patient to drink the smoke of medicated compounds and articles of keen potency ;

Application of collyria to the eyes ;

Administration of inhalations (for inducing sneezing) ;

Blowing drugs into the nose, by means of tubes, for inducing sneezing ;f

Rubbing of oils on the body ;

Use of odoriferous unguents ;

Sprinkling of simple or medicated waters on the body ;

Smearing or plastering the body with fragrant and medicated pastes ;

Striking, tying, confining, frightening, inspiring wonder, and caus¬ ing forgetfulness ;