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

568 THE SUSHRUTA SAMIIITA. [Chap. XXXIII.

of the flesh of an\^ Jflngala animal.* A person treated with emetics (at regular intervals) by cough, accumulation cf Kapha in the throat, loss of voice, somnolence, drowsiness, fetid smell in the mouth, evil effects of poisoning (other supervening distresses of Kapha — D. R.), water-brash and lienteric diarrhoea (Grahani). The (accumulated) Kapha of the system having been ejected by vomiting under a course of emetic treatment, the possibility of all Kapha-origined affections is removed, just as a felled tree soon dries up together with all its twigs, fruits and flowers. 9-10.

Cases where emesis is forbidden: —

Emesis or the exhibition of emetics is forbidden in cases of Timira (cataract', upward determination of the Vdyu in the body (Urdhva-vata), Gulma, Ud^varta, abdominal dropsy, enlargement of the spleen, worms (in the intestines) and urinary complaints, as well as in respect of fatigued, corpulent, thirsty, hungry, emaciated and too old persons and of infants, Kshatakshina patients and those suffering from a loss of voice and in respect of those also who are of studious habits or are capable of being treated with a strong emetic and that only with the greatest difficulty. It should be never resorted to in cases of Hoemoptysis and obstinate constipation of the bowels and in the case of an enciente and after the application of a Niruha-vasti. It should not be applied in an extremely dry or parched condition of the organismi* as well as in simple diseases due to the Vayu. 11. .

* The diet of the patient who has taken an emetic should be very carefully prescrijjed inasmuch as his digestive capacity is liable to become very weak in such cases.

t Persons afflicted with cataract or blindness, Gulma, facial paralysis, convulsion (Akshepaka), jaundice, ascites, hsemorrhoids and corpulency

p. 569

To induce vomiting with an emetic medicine in the (aforesaid) diseases in which it ought not to have been resorted to is likely to give an irrecoverable turn to those diseases. Emetics should not, therefore, be applied in such cases. To induce vomiting, however, with the help of the decoction of Madhuka (Yashti-madhu)* is not forbidden even in these cases, if the patient be suffering from indigestion or from an extremely aggravated condition of the deranged Kapha as well as from poisoning symptoms. rr-r2.

Cases where cmesis is recommended : — On the other hand, vomiting or the exhibition of an emetic is recommended in cases of poisoning, in wasting diseases iS'osha>, in the derangements of the breast-milk, in precarious or sluggish (Vishama) appetite, in insanity, in Apasmara (hysteric convulsions), in Elephantiasis (S'lipada), in Vidarika, in tumours (Arvuda), in obesity, in Meha (urinary complaints), in cases of slow chemical poisoning (Gara-dosha^ in the system, in fever, in aversion to food, in scropfula (Apachi), in mucous dysentery, in heart-disease, in distraction of the mind, in erysipelas, in inflammatory abscesses (^Vidradhi), in indigestion, in water-brash, in nausea, in asthma, in cough, in Pinasa (catarrh), in fetid smell of the nostrils (Puti-ndsa), in inflammations of the lips, throat and mouth,f in (fetid) discharges from the ears, in Adhi-jihvika, Upa-jihvika and Gala-s'undikd as well as extremely old men and Kshata-kshina patients should not be treated with emetics (lit. should not be caused to vomit), — D. R.

t Some read here "Kushtha, Galaganda, Prameha and S'opha (swelling)" but as Meha is mentioned above separately it seems to us that that reading is not a good one. — Ed.

* J'JJjata explains Madhuka to mean honey. He means to say that vomiting should be induced with honey and water.

570 THE SUSHRUTA SAMIIITA. [Chap. XXXIII.

(affections of the glottis and the thorax), in haermorrhage from the lower channels, in the derangements due to the bodily Kapha and in all affections of the location of Kapha*. 13.

IVIode of administering' purgatives : —Purgatives should also be administered to a patient after the due application of Sneha (oil, etc.) and Sveda (for a second time) after the administration of an emetic. O.i the day before the administration of the purgative^ the patient should be told that a purgative should be given to him the next morning. He should at this time be provided with a light repast followed by potions of hot water and (the expressed juice of) acid fruits. On the next morning an adequate dose of the (purgative) medicine should be administered after clearly ascertaining that the patient's body has been cleansed of all mucous .Sleshma) accumulations and in the manner laid down in the Aturopakramaniya chapter (Chapter XXXV. of tho Sutra-sthana). 14.

Classification of Koshtha :— Koshtha