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

p. 502

sound sleep. Food or milk, saturated with sugar, and meat-juice, prove very refreshing after the act. 89.

Thus ends the Twenty-fourth Chapter in the Cbikitsita Sthinam of the Sus'ruta Sainhita which deals with the rules of Hygiene and the prophylactic measures in general.

CHAPTER XXV.

Now we shall discourse on the medical treatment of a variety of diseases (Mis'raka-Chikitsita). i.

It has been stated before that blood-letting is the remedy in diseases of the Paiii \^ear-lobes). Now hear me describe in detail the treatment of those affections which are confined to the lobes of the ears. They are five in number and are called the Paripota, UtpSLta, Unmantlia Duhkha-Vardhana and the Parilehi. 2-3.

Causes and Symptoms : -if the lobe of an ear be suddenly pulled and kept in that position for a long time, a numbed and painful swelling of a blackish red colour is produced on the lobe, owing to its soft and delicate nature. This is found to spontaneously burst or crack, and is called the Paripota, which should be ascribed to the action of the deranged Vaiyu (of the sys^tem). 4.

A painful swelling attended with a burning sensation and suppuration, appearing in the lobe of the ear, owing to the friction and movements of a heavy ornament worn in the lobe, is originated from the vitiated condition of the blood and the Pitta. Its colour is either brown or red and is called th^ Utpj^ta. 5.

Pulling the ear-lobes down by f irce tends to enrage the Vayu (of the localities) which in union with (the deranged) Kapha gives rise to a painful swelling in those regions, attended with itching and tinged with the specific colours* and symptoms of the Doshas involved. The disease is called the UilQiantlia, and is

* Madhava in his compilation reiis "^fg^^^^^^m" (that the swelling is attended with a numbness and no pain) in place of "cT^<M?<j«f*f." Vdgbhata also supports this, — Ed.

504 THE SUSHRUTA SAMEIITA. pChap XXV.

originated through the concerted aciion of the deranged Vayu and the KapVia. 6.

A swelling in an ear-lobe attended with pain, burning and itching .sensations owing to its being (pulled down and) lengthened, when found to suppurate (in the end) is called the Duhkha-vardhana ; it* restricts itself only to the skin (of the affected part . 7.

Small exiHing pustules resembling mustard-seeds (in size) and attended with pain, burning and itching sensations, appear in the lobes of the ears owing to the action of the vitiated blood, or the deranged Kapha, or to the presence of parasites (in those localities). The disease soon spreads itself (and assumes an erysipelatious character). It is called the Parilehi from the fact of its eating away the affected lobe with the entire helix. 8.

General Treatment :- These dreadful diseases (which invade the lobes of the ears' are highly dangerous and tend to destroy and eat away the affected appendages, if not properly attended to at the outset and specially when the patient is addicted to unwholesome food and drink and to an injudicious conduct of life. Hence a physician should speedily remedy these complaints with applications of medicated Sneha, Sveda, etc., ointments, washes, plasters, poultices and blood-letting.f This is the general treatment of those diseases. 9.

* Madhava adds "an unsuccessful perforation (in the ear lobe)'' ij be an addi ioaal ca isa of this disease. Ha also r^ads "f^p^^"^ i e., "due to the concerted action of the three Doshas" in place of "c^^^S^". Madhava has Vagbhata's support in this. — Ed.

t In cases of the predominance of the Vaiyu. anointment, Anuvasana and poultices shoul 1 be resorted to, In cases of Pitta-predominance, purgatives should be applied. Emetics should be applied in cases of Kapha-predominance and lastly blood-letting, purgatives and washes,

Chap. XXV.] CtllKITSA STHANAM. 505

Specific Treatment :— Now we shall describe the medical remedies which should be specially used in anointing (the affected parts in these diseases). Drugs, such as Khara-Manjari, Yashti-jnadhu. Saindhava, Deva-ddni, As'va-gandhd and the seeds oS. Mulaka and of Avalguja should bs pasted together and cooked with a compound of milk, oil, clarified butter, lard, marrow and wax. This preparation should be applied lukewarm to the affected lobe in a case of the Paripotaka type. lo-ii.

Manj'ishthd, Sesamum, Yashti-madhu, Sdrivd, Utpala, Padma-kdshtha, Rodlira, Kadamba and the tender leaves of the Vald, Jambii and Amra (mango) should be cooked together with (an adequate quantity of) oil and Dhanyamla ^Kanjika). This oil proves curative in a case of Utpata. 12.

Similarly (a medicated) oil cooked with Tdla patri, As'va-gandhd, Arka, Vdkuchi-SQ.&di, Saindhava, Sarald* Ldngali, lard of a Karkata (crab) and of a Godha (a kind of lizard), proves beneficial in cases of Unmantha. The affected lobes should be washed (Sechana) with a decoction of the leaves of the As' tnantaka, Jamhu and Amra (in such cases). 13.

In a case of Parileiii, the affected lobe (Pali) should b2 dusted with powdered Prapaimdarika, Yashtimadhii, Matijishthd and the two kinds of Haridvd after lubricating it with the oil cooked with the Kalkas of Ldkshd and Vidanga. It should be as well fomented with heated cow-dung and plastered with the lukewarm pastes of Vidanga alone, or in combination with Trivrit,