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

Then a Drona measure of the ashes thus prepared* should be dissolved and stirred up in six Drona measures of pure water or cow's urine, and be filtered twenty-one times in succession. The ('alkaline water filtered as abo\-e) should ])e kept in a large caldron over a fire and boiled by gently agitating it with a ladle. . It should be taken down from the fire when bv gradual stirring, the saturated water would appear transparent, slimy, red and irritating. It should then be filtered through a piece of clean linen, and the dregs thrown away. After this a Kudava measure and a half 12 Palas) of the (abovesaid) saturated or alkaline water should be taken out of the caldron, and the rest should be again kept boiling over the fire. Following this, substances laiown as Kata-Sharkara, the ashes of the burnt limestone pre^■iously obtained, Kshirapakas (fresh water oysters) and Sankhanabhi, should be burnt red hot in equal proportions, and then immersed and pressed in the Kudaba measure of alkaline water previoush" set apart in an iron basin as above described.

Then having immersed eight Pala measures of the substances known as the Shankhanabhi etc., in the abovesaid alkaline water, the physician should boil it by continuous and steady stirring, care being

* Two piuia of tht buinl ashes of Ghanla-panila and one pari of ihc ashes of Kuiaja, n^Ic.

p. 8

taken not to make it of too thin nor of tod thick a consistency. Then the basin or the caldron should be taken down from the oven, and its contents poured into an iron pitcher, carefully covering its mouth after filling it. The alkali thus prepared is called the Kshara (alkali of middling potency, which, if prepared without the subsequent addition (lit : throw-over) of the ashes of Katasharkara, etc., goes by the name of mild alkali 'IVLi-idu Kshara). Similarly, alkali prepared with the addition of the powders of the drugs known as Danti, Dravanti, Chitraka, Langulaki, PutikaPravala Talpatri, \'idha, Suvarchika, Kanaka-Kshiri, Hingu, Vacha, and Visha, or with as many of them as are available, each weighing four tolas, is called the strong Kshara (extremely irritating alkali). These alkaline preparations of different potencies, should be severally used in cases where their adnn'nistrations would be clearlv indicated. An alkaline preparation, any way weakened, should be strengthened by adding to it alkaline water (water saturated with an alkali) as before described.

Authoritative verses on the subject ; The commendable features in an alkali are based on its whiteness, on its being neither too mild nor too strong, on its gloss and sliminess, on its sticking to the place of application, and on its power of secreting (Abhisyandi the morbid fluid, and on its rapid effect. On the other hand, its defective traits consist in its being

8^ THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. | Chap. XI.

too m'lld, of excessive whiteness, excessive strength or irritability, of over-sliminess, excessive stickiness or thickness, insufficient boiling, and insiifiiciency of component ingredients.

A patient laid up with a disease amenable to an application of alkali potential cautery or caustic) should be kept in a spacious chamber, and should not be exposed to draughts and to the hot rays of the sun, [Then the physician having secured] the necessary appliances etc, as already laid down in the Chapter V, should view the part of the patient's body to which the alkali is to be applied. The affected part should be then* rubbed or scarified t with an alkali, and covered overt with a piece of linen. The alkaline preparation should be applied with a rod or director* and kept undisturbed for a period needed to articulate a hundred long letter sounds).

Metrical texts : The perfect burning (blistering, should be inferred from the black colour of the skin of the affected part. Madhuka and the substances included within the Amla-varga (group of acid drugs) pasted with clarified butter, should be applied to allay the incidental burning isensation). A plaster composed

♦ In a case brought about by (Pitta) ascendency of the deranged bile.

t It sliould be scraped with the alkali where the skin would appear hard and benumlied owinp; In ihc action of the deranged vital winds (V5yu).

i In a case of deranged phlegm (Kafa) the affected part being marked by itching and swelling.

Chap. XI. ] SUTRASTHA'NAM. g^

of the shreds of Amla-Kaiijika, sesamum and Madhiikam taken in equal parts, and pasted together, should be applied to the part burnt with an alkali ; in the event of the latter having failed to produce the desired effect owing to the disease being deepl}" seated. Madhukam and the Kalka paste of sesamum mixed with clarified butter would cause such an incidental; ulcer to heal.