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

Lateral (tirjak) incisions should be made in regions of the eye-brows, temple, forehead, cheeks, eyelids, lower lip, gums, armpits, loins, belly and the groins.

An incision made in the region of the hand or root should be made to resemble the disc of the moon, while those about the anus and the penis should be made semi-circular ! half-moon j in shape.

Authoritative verse on the subject : —An incision in any of the abovesaid regions not made as directed, may give rise to extreme pain, prolonged granulation (healing) and condylomatous growths in and about the ulcer, owing to an inadvertent cutting of the local veins, or nerves. In a case of artificial or instrumental parturition, in ascites, in piles, in stone in the bladder, in fistula in ano, and in diseases affecting the cavity of the mouth, the patient operated on should be kept on an empty stomach (before thS^act).

Then sprays of cold water should be dashed over the face and the eyes of the patient to relieve the pain and the sense of exhaustion incidental to the operation. The sides of the incision should be firmly pressed fso as to ensure a good outflow of the accumulated pus) and

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the margins of the wound should be rubbed with the fingers (so that they may have a level surface and be of uniform structure throughout.) Then the wound should be washed with an astringent decoction (of Nimba, Triphala, etc.) which should be wiped and made thoroughly dry with a piece of clean linen. Then a lint plug 'Varti) plastered over with the (paste) Kalka of sesamum, hone)' and clarified butter, and soaked in disinfectant (lit : — purifying medicines such as Ajagandha, etc. i should be inserted deep into the cavity of the wound. After that, a poultice made of officinal substances should be applied over it and the whole should be bound up with thick layers of tow (Kavalikas— such as the leaves and bark of the Indian figtree etc.) which are neither too irritant nor too cooling in their effect ; and finally scraps of clean linen should be wound round them. The limb, [or the affected part] should be subsequently fumigated with the fumes of pain-killing (anodyne) substances and also with those of drugs which are supposed to ward off all malignant spirits (from the bedside of the patient.)*

Then it should be fumigated with the drugs, known as Guggulu, Vacha, white mustard, Saindhava and the leaves of the Ximva tree, soaked in clarified butter. The residue of the clarified butter [dripped

* Even the bedsheels, etc. of the patient should be fumigated as above. This foreshadows the germ theory of the modern days— Tr.

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down and collected from the fumigating corftpound described above], should be rubbed over the region of the heart and other vital parts of the patient, and the floor of the chamber should be washed and sprinkled over with drops of water previousl)^ kept in a (new) pitcher for the purpose. The rites of protection from the influences of baneful spirits, should then be performed by reciting the Mantra which runs as follows : — "I am about to practise the prophylactic incantation for guarding thy person against the malignant influences of Rakshas and conjured demonesses, and may the god Brahma be graciously pleased to approve of its performance. May the Gods and deities and ministers of grace disperse and confound the hosts of wrathful Nagas (celestial serpents), Pishachas, Gandharvas and Pitris that might be maliciously disposed to strike thee in thy sickly confinement. May the spirits, which stir abroad in the night and roam about in the sky and on earth, defend thy person in recognition of thy fervent devotion to them. May the concourse of Brahma-begotten sages 'such as, Sanaka, etc.), the saintly and canonised kings (Rajarshis) in heaven and the sacred mounts, streams and oceans of the earth protect thee from evil. May the fire-god guard thy tongue ; the wind-god protect thy breath ; and the Moon-god, Parjanya, Vidyut lightning) and the spirit of the clouds preserve the healthy coursings of» those vital winds in th}' organism which are respectively known as Vy^na, 6

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