An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, Vol. III: Uttara-tantra — trans. Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna (1916)

Gummy exudation of S'dla trees, Manah-s'ild , or cow’s horn, or cow’s hairs and skin, charged with clarified butter, should be used in fumigation (Dhupana). As an alternative, the seats of hiccough {viz., umbilical region, etc.) should be duly fomented. The patient should be advised to use a lambative composed of Svarna-Gairika or the ashes of the bones of any domestic animal pasted with honey. Hairs of SvAvidh a sheep, a cow or of Sallaki should be burnt in a covered pot and given to be licked with honey. Plumes of a peacock or the fruit of Udimvara or (the bark of) Lodhra should be similarly burnt and the ashes thus prepared should be licked by the patient in combination with honey and clarified butter. Sarjikd-kshdra licked with the expressed juice of Vijapura and with honey

* Tepid milk, tepid clarified butter and expressed juice of sqgar-Cane are also separately used as snuff.

t S'vdvidb and S'allaki are the two different kinds of porcupine*

UtTARA-TANTRA.

Chap. L]

3 1;

would* also give instataneous relief in a paraxysm of hiccough. 13.

Lukewarm gruels (Yavagu) saturated with clarified butter as well as lukewarm Pdyasa prove curative in a case of hiccough. The milk of a she-goat duly cooked with S'unthi and water * (in the manner of Kshira-p£ka) and mixed with sugar could be as well taken with benefit. The urine of a she-goat and of a ewe taken to satiety would readily cure a fit of hiccough. Similarly the smell of Puti-keeta f duly soaked in the infusion of radish, Vachd and Hingu J after the manner of Bhivana saturation would have the same result. 14.

Ndgakes’ara mixed with sugar and honey should be taken with a copious quantity of) the expressed juice of sugar-cane and of Madhuka flowers. A Pala weight of Saindkava salt should be used with two-Pala weight of clarified butter. Haritaki should be first taken and then a draught of tepid water. Clarified butter should be taken with milk and honey. A Pichu (two Tol 4 s) weight of the expressed juice of Kapittha should be taken with honey and powdered Pippali for the relief (of hiccough). A lambative prepared with Pippali \ A'nialiika y S’unthi , sugar and honey, or one prepared with Anjana (Souvirdnjana), powdered fried paddy, and the kernel (of the stone of) Vadara- fruit should be licked as a remedy for an attack of Hfcca. 15.

The four different liquid compounds :i prepared

* Some render as the decoction of S'unthi.

t Puti-keeta is a kind of bad-smelling worm appearing generally during the rainy season.

X Some read (Ilingu and lotus) in place of | In both cases, however, means simply ‘mixed’.

{1 According to Vrinda and Chakrapini lambatives should be prepared with these drugs. According to some, the decoction should be Used*

3t8 THE StJSHRUTA SAMHITX. [Chap. L.

with the drugs mentioned in the four quarts of the present verse, viz. y (i) The fruit and flower of Pdtald>( 2) Gairika and Katu-rohini (3) the kernel (inner pulp) of Kharjura and Pippali and (4^ Kdsisa (sulphate of iron) and Kapittha (D. R. — Dadhi), should be mixed with honey and administered by an experienced physician in cases of HicdL 16.

Meat as diet. The soup prepared with the meat of S'allaka (porcupine), S’vadamshird , Godhd , Vris ha-dams' a (wild cat), Rishya (D. R. Riksha — a bear) and Mriga (different kinds of deer, as well as of Kapota and Pdrdvata (different kinds of pigeon), Ldva and other birds should be taken lukewarm with the expressed juice of acid fruits and with Saindhava and a Sneha (clarified butter, etc.). 17.

Purgatives as well as potions of tepid clarified butter mixed with Saindhma- salt and sugar should be regarded as highly beneficial in an up-coursing of the bodily Vayu in cases of Hicc£. Some authorities are of opinion that the application of an Anuvdsana-vasti would be also beneficial in such cases. 18.

Thus ends the fiftieth chapter in the Uttara-Tantra of the Stis'rula Samhitd which deals with the (symptoms and.) treatment of hiccough.

CHAPTER LI.

Now we shall discourse on the chapter which deals with the (symptoms and) medical treatment of Asthma (Savasa- Prat i shed ha), i.

/Etiology 5 — To the same group of exciting factors which bring in an attack of hiccough should be attributed the origin of that voilent disease which is known as Svâsa (asthma). The vital Vâyu known as the Piaaa-V 4 yu foregoing its normal function rises upward in unison with the deranged Kapha of the body and produces that gasping and laboured breathing which is called Sva'sa (asthma). This dreadful disease though virtually one in its nature and origin is divided into five spicific types, virj., Kshudra-Svdsa, Tamaka-Svdsa, Chhinna-Svdsa, Maha-SvAsa and Urddhva-Svasa. 2 4.

Premonitory Symptoms s— Pain in the