An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, Vol. II — trans. Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna (1911)

• Dallana reconimends the three thing?, viz., the pith of the Tuvaraka, the Saindhava-salt and the RasKnjana to be mixed and burnt together in a closed vessel.

CHAPTER XIV.

Now we shall discourse on the medical treatment of dropsy with an abnormal condition of the abdomen

(Udara). i.

Of the eight different types of Udara, described before, those severally known as the Vaddha-guda and the Parisravi should be understood as incurable, the rest being equally hard to cure. Hence the medical treatment of all cases of Udara (abdominal dropsy) should be resorted to without holding out any positive hope of recovery. The first four types of the disease (as metioned in the list of enumeration), may prove amenable to medicine ; but the rest would require Surgical treatment. All the types of the disease, however, would, with the progress of time, require a surgical operation, or (attaining an incurable stage) they may have to be abondned. 2.

Diet of articles forbidden :— A patient, afflicted with an attack of Udara, should forego the use of heavy (indigestible), or emollient fare, of all kinds of meats and of those that produce a state of extreme dryness in the system, or produce a slimy secretion from the channels (of the Doshas and the vital principles) of the body, or give rise to a sort of digestionaiy acid reaction (acid transformation in the stomach) and refrain from bathing and using effusions. Meals consisting of well cooked S'dli rice, barley, wheat, or Nivdra seeds should be the daily diet of such a patient. 3.

Treatment of the Vataja type : - in a case of Vdtaja Udara, the body of the patient should be anointed with clarified butter cooked with the drugs of the Viddri-i^a7idhd di ^vow"^, while the one cooked with

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Tilvaka should be used as purgatives (Anuloma), A compound made of a copious quantity of oil of Chitrd seeds, mixed with a decoction of the drugs of the Viddri-gandhddi group, should be used as Asthapana and Anuvasana measures. The Sailvana Upana'ha (poultice) should be applied to the abdomen. Milk cooked with the drugs of the Viddri-gandhddi group, or the soup of the flesh of Jdngala animals should be given to the patient with his meal and the affected region should be frequently fomented. 4,

Treatment of the Pittaja Type :— In a case of Pittaja Udara, the patient should be anointed with clarified butter cooked with the drugs of the Madhura (Kakolyadi) group. Similarly, clarified butter cooked with S'ydmd, Jriphald and Trivrit should be used as purgatives and the decoction of the drugs of the Nyagrodhddi group, mixed with a copious quantity of sugar, honey and clarified butter, should be used as Anuvdsana and A'sthapana measures. The abdomen should be poulticed with Payasa (porridge prepared with rice and milk) and the diet should consist of boiled rice and milk, cooked with the drugs of the Viddri-gandhddi group. 5.

Treatment of the Kaphaja Type : — in a case of Kaphaja Udara, the patient should be anointed with clarified butter, cooked with the decoction of the drugs of the Pippalyddi group. Likewise, clarified butter, cooked with the milky juice of Snuhi plants, should be used as purgatives ; and the decoction of the drugs of the Mushkakddi group, with a copious quantity of Trikatu, cow's urine, Kshara (Yava-kshara) and oil, should be applied as Anuvasana and Asthapana measures. A poultice (Upanahaj prepared of S'ana seeds, Atasi seeds, Dhdtaki (flower), mustard, Mulaka

SO

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THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. XIV.

seeds and Khtva should be applied (hot) to the abdomen. The diet should consist of (boiled rice wellmixed with) Kulattha soup (Yusha), profusely seasoned with powdered Trikatu, or of Pdyasa ; and the abdomen should be frequently fomented. 6.

Treatment of Dushyodara :— in a case of Dushyodara, the patient should be treated without giving any hope of a positive cure. Purgatives with clarified butter, cooked with the expressed juice of the S apt aid and S'ainkhini, should be first administered (continuously) for a fortnight or even a month ; or clarified butter, cooked with the milky juice of the Mahdvriksha, and with wine and cow's urine, should be similarly used as a purgative. A Kalka made up of the roots of the As'vamdraka, Gtmj'd and Kdkddani mixed with wine (Sura), should be given after the bowels had begun to move freely. As an alternative, a Krishna- Sarpa (black lance-hooded cobra) should be enraged to bite a sugarcane and this piece of sugarcane should be given to the patient to chew (and suck) ; or the fruits of creepers (Valli-phala) should be used (in the preceding manner) ; or poisonous* roots and- bulbs should be prescribed, whereby the disease may be cured or may take a dififerent turn. 7.

IVIemorable Verse:— A case of abdominal

dropsy (.Udara) of whatsoever type should be presumed to have its origin in an aggravation of the bodily Vayu and an accumulation of fsecal matter in the bowels ; hence frequent use of Anulomana (purgatives, etc.) is recommended in this disease. 8.