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

+ In a swelling or ulcer caused by the deranged \'a\\x and Kapham, the bandage should consist of a piece of thick cloth; whereas in summer it should consist of thin linen. Similarly, a bandage, tied round anv deep or hollow part of the body, should consist of a piece of thick cloth. The contrary rule should be observed, when the seat of the bandage would be at any flexible part of the body.

Similarly, in the ca.se of a snake-bite, a ligature .should be- firmly tied above the punctured wound with a string or twisted cord of cotton, while a fractured bone should be set right by twisting bunches iif half-thrashed shydmS creeper (LatAvidala) round the seat of fracture. A local hemorrhage

Chap. XVIII. ] SUTRASTHAN A M. 1 67

Bandag'es : — The fourteen different forms of bandage are named as the Kosha (a sheath or scabbard), the D^ma (a cord or chaplet , the Svastika (cross), the Anuvelhta a twist), the Pratoli (a winding street or road), the Mandala (ring), the Sthagika (a betel -box), the Yamaka (double or twin), the Khatta (a bedstead), the China (a streamer), the Vivandha (noose), the Vitana (canopy) the Gophana (cow-horn), the Panchangi (five limbed). Their shapes can be easil}' inferred from the meanings of their names.

Applications :— Out of these, the Kosha or the sheath-shaped bandage should be tied round the thumb and the phalanges of the fingers ; the Dama or chaplet-shaped bandage, round the narrow or unbent parts of the body ; the Svastika or cross shaped, round the joints, round the articulations or the Marmas known as the Kurchakas (Navicular ligaments) round the eye-brows, round the ears and round the region of the breast. Similarly, the bandage, known as the Anuvellita, should be used when the seat of the affection would be found to be situated at the extremities (hands and legs\ A bandage of the Protoli class should be tied round the neck or the penis ; the Mandalam 'ringshould be arrested by binding the part with milk-cream, while the aflected part in a case of Ardita (facial paralysis) as well as a broken tooth should be bound with strings of iron, gold or silver. Warts, etc. should be bandaged with Ela (cardamom skins), while dried ^ourd-skins should be used in bandaging ulcers on the head (scalp).

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shaped), round the circular parts of the body ; the Sthagika (betel-box), round the glans-penis and the tips of the fingers ; the Yamakam, round the confluent or contiguous ulcers ; the Khatta (bedstead-shaped), over and around the cheeks, cheek-bones, and the parts between the ears and the eye-brows ; the Vitdnam over the skull, the Gophana (horn-shaped), round the region of the chin ; and the Panchangi, round the part lying above the clavicles.

In short, a bandage of any particular shape should be tied round the part of the body to which it would be found to be most suited. Now we shall deal with the Yantranas (fastenings of bandages) which admit of being divided into three different classes according as they are fastened above, below, or obliquely round an ulcer.

Kavalika' (Tow) :— Any soft stuffing or tow (such as the leaves or the bark of trees of medicinal virtues) between the medicine applied over an ulcer and the bandaging linen is called the Kavalika (medicated tow). The tow or the Kavalika should be placed thickly (on the seat of affection) ; and then the physician (surgeon; having pressed it with his left hand should* place a piece of straight, soft, untwisted,Chap. XVIII. ] SUTRASTHA'NAM. 1 69 and unfolded or unshrivelled linen over it, and then firmly tie up the bandage in a manner so as not to leave any knot over the seat of the ulcer, or to cause any discomfort to the patient.

* Carefully examining whether ihe applied remedy had been unifurmly dislributed over the diseased surface and whether tlie contemplated pattern of bandage would l)e actually suited to the case.

Introduction of lint :— A Visheshika (lint) saturated with hone}', clarified butter, and a medicinal paste should be inserted into the ulcer. Care should be taken not to introduce the lint extremely dry, or oily (oversoaked in a lubricating or oily medicinal preparation), inasmuch as an over-lubricated lint would give rise to an excessive formation of slimy mucus in the ulcer, whereas, its parched substitute would bring about the friction and the consequent breaking of the edges of the ulcer, like one misplaced or wrongly inserted.