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

respect of frightened persons and Kshata-kshina patients or of those afflicted with haemorrhage from thj downward orifices of the body or of persons with any dart or foreign matter (s'alya) lying imbedded in the organism as well as in respect of infants and enciente. A purgative medicine should not be administered before the digestion of a meal previously taken, neither in the diseases due to an abuse of wine, nor in acute catarrh and acute fever or to a newly parturient woman and persons not previously treated with a Sneha (oil or GhritaX A mild purgative may, however, be administered (in cases of emergency) to a person of extremely Pitta-predominant temperament. Purgatives administered by ignorant physicians to persons who ought not to be purged (often) prove fatal. 19.

Persons who should be purged : —

The distempers of the body in which a purgative should be exhibited with good results are : —fever, effects of slow chemical poison (retained in the system), an aversion to food, haemorrhoids, tumours (Arvuda), ascites (Udara\ glandular swellings (Granthi\ abscess (Vidradhi), jaundice, hysteric convulsions (Apasmara), heartdisease, Vata-rakta, vaginal or uterine diseases, fistulain-ano, vomiting, erysipelas (Visarpa), Gulma, pain in the Pakvas'aya (intestines), retention of stool, Visuchika, Alasaka, strangury (Mutraghata), cutaneous affections (Kushtha), Visphotaka (carbuncle, etc.), Prameha, distension of the abdomen with the suppression of stool and urine (Anaha), enlargement of the spleen, oedematous swellings (Sopha), Vriddhi (enlargement of the scrotum, etc.) and kindred complaints^ ulcers inflicted by weapons, alkaline scalds and burns, malignant ulcers, (Dushta-vrana), inflammation of the eyes (Akshi-paka\ Kacha, Timira, conjunctivitis (Abhishyanda), burning

p. 574

sensations in the head, ears, eyes, nose, mouths, anus and the penis, haimorrhage from the upper channels (UrdhvaRakta-pitta), worms, diseases of the Pittds'aya (bowels ?) i.e., the diseases which are peculiar to the seats of the Pitta in the organism as well as any other disease due to an aggravation of the Pitta. 20.

Metrical Texts ;— Emetic and purgative remedies, in spite of their possessing in common the powers of motion (Saratva\ subtlety, keenness, expansiveness and heat-making properties, tend to remove the injurious and deranged morbific principles (Doshas) of the body in (two) different ways by virtue of their respective inherent qualities (Prakriti)*. A purgative, in the course of its digestion, carries down with it all ths Doshas from the system (loosened and dislodged by virtue of its own specific properties). An emetic, on the other hand, is not digested, owing to (its lightness due to) its inherent extraordinary qualitiest, but it soon forces its way up with the Doshas (to be) removed. 21-22,

A strong purgative given to a man of loose or lax bowels (Mridu-Koshtha) or of strong digestive capacity, cannot remove all the Doshas fully owing to their being suddenly and forcibly purged off. 23.

A purgative medicine, which is capable of being digested and of expelling the Doshas from the body in the time which a morning meal ordinarily takes to be digested, should be regarded as pre-eminently the best. 24.

• Dallana quotes a different reading which means that emetic and purgative remedies produce the wished-for result, if properly administered, otherwise not.

t The extraordinary qualities of an emetic are those of the Vayu and of the Agni.

Chap. XXXIII.] CHIKITSA STHANAM. 5/5

The (aggravated) Doshas accumulated in a large quantity in the organism of a weak patient and found to be dislodged from their seats should be gradually expelled from the system, while soothing (S'amana) remedies should be used in cases of the Doshas being very slight, even if they be found to have been dislodged from their seats. The aggravated Doshas matured and spontaneously dislodged (from their seat or place of accumulation in the system) should be purged off, whether the patient be strong or weak, inasmuch as, if neglected (and not expelled from the system\ the}' (Doshas) tend to produce lasting troubles. 25-26,

A purgative should be administred to a patient of impaired digestive capacity and extreme habitual constipation of the bowels (Krura-koshtha) after having improved his digestion with the admixture of rock-salt, Yava-kshdra and clarified butter and after applying Sneha and Sveda (as usual). A purgative remedy used after a due application of Sneha and Sveda to the body, leads to the looseness and dislodgment per force of the aggravated Doshas from their seats, since they do not adhere to the internal channels and passages just as a drop of water does not adhere to a pot or vessel saturated with a Sneha. An oleaginous purgative should not be given to persons who have already taken internally* an abundant quantity of Sneha, as it would tend to make the aggravated Doshas of the body dislodge from their seats and again adhere to the internal channels and passages. 27-28.

An excessive quantity of Sneha should be used in cases of poisoning, hurt, pustular eruptions (Pidakd), means that the Sneha might have been used both internally and externally.

* Vtinda reads "^f^^^j^j^" in place of "^f?T^^Tf1cf^". This

576 THE SUSIIRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. XXXIII.