An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, Vol. I: Sutrasthanam — trans. Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna (1907)

sweet or richly cooked dishes (Santarpanam) such as, thirst, etc. Amalakam is cooling, and refrigerent ; it subdues Pittam and Kapham and is antifat in its virtues. Vibhitakam is cooling ; it subdues Pittam and Kapham. The- group of medicinal fruits known as the Triphala consists of Haritaki, Amalakam and Vibhitakam, which are collectively marked by an acid-astringent taste with a shade of bitter and sweet. Powdered Triphala regularh' taken with clarified butter of a three quarter part of its own weight acts as a regular panacea and is endued with a rejuvenating virtue.

All fruits possessed of purgative properties, should be used in the manner described in connection with Haritaki with the exception of Chaturangulas. The Chaturangula fruit should be collected in the proper season, and then kept buried for a week in a bed of sand. After that, they should be unearthed and dried in the sun, and their stones or seeds (lit. marrow) should be taken out. Then the essential oil of the seeds should be extracted by pressing them in an oil-mill like the seeds of sesamum, or b}' boiling them with water (hot expression). The oil is a good purgative for a child up to its twelfth year.

Hot water taken after having licked a compound consisting of Castor oil saturated with powdered Kushtha and Trikatus, acts as a good purgative. Castor oil taken with a decoction of Triphalas, double its ownChap. XLIV. ] SUTRASTHA'NAM. 41^ measure, or with milk or extract of meat, acts as a good purgative, which should be prescribed for infants, old men, or persons debilitated from the effects of ulcer cachexia, or of delicate constitution.

I have finished describing the preparation and application of fruit purgatives. Now hear me, O Sushruta, discourse on similar milky exudations of plants and trees, etc. which are possessed of purgative properties. The milky juice of a Sudha plant is the strongest of all purgatives, which being imprudently used by a medical ignoramus, may be attended with dangerous consequences, while the same in the hands of a judicious physician proves strong enough to disintegrate a mighty accumulation of deranged humours and to successfully combat man}' an irremediable distemper.

One part of the decoction of each of the drugs constituting the gi'oup of major Panchamulam and Vrihati, etc. should be mixed with one part of the milky juice of a Sudha plant (thus forming an eighth part of the whole compound). After having boiled it over a charcoal fire, the compound should be taken with two Tola (kola) weights of any acid liquid (such as wine, sour rice gruel, cream of curd, etc.) in the manner of Trivrit compounds. A gruel made of rice saturated with the milky exudation of a Mahavriksha, or a sweetened, porridge-like preparation of the same substance (Utka41 p. 6[Chap.XLIv.

rika) made with treacle, should be deemed as possessed of purgative properties. As an alternative, an electuary composed of sugar, clarified butter and the milky juice of a Snuhi plant, should be used for purgative purposes.

Powders of Pippali soaked in the milk}^ juice of the same plant should be used with rock salt for moving the bowels. Powdered Kampillakam made into boluses with Snuhi juice ma)^ be as well prescribed for the same end. Powders of Saptala, Shankhini, Danti, Trivrit and kernel of Aragvadham, should be saturated with cow's urine and then soaked in the milky juice of a Snuhi plant successively for seven consecutive days.* A smell of the powder thus prepared and strewn over the flower-garlands, and clothes worn by a man whose bowels are easil}^ moved, acts as a mild purgative.

The use and preparation of purgative remedies concocted with roots, barks and milk}' exudations of plants, etc. have been described, w-hich should be prescribed after carefully considering the nature of the case under treatment and according to their specific indications.

A compound consisting of three Shana weights (one tola and a half) of powdered Trivrit, three

* The mode of preparing the porridge is as follows : — First the wheat should be saturated with the milky juice of a JNlaha-Vriksha and then macerated. The powder should be then cooked with mil-< and treacle and made into a thick porridge.

Chap. XLIV. ] SUTRASTHANAM. 4,7