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

region of the heart and at the sides, aversion to food as well as to all other pursuits, suppression of stool and urine and a bad taste in the mouth, may be regarded as the premonitory symptoms of the disease. 5.

Specific Symptoms S —The type in which the least movement or exertion brings on an aggravation of the disease, and a distinct amelioration or relief is restored in a sitting posture, is called Kshudra-Svatsa The type which is accompanied by such symptoms as thirst, perspiration, vomiting and a rattling sound in the throat and finds aggravation specially in foul weather is called Tamaka-Sivasa. In a case of TamakaSvlsa the patient is weak and has a loud (wheezing) sound in the throat, as also cough, the symptoms of (bronchial) catarrh and an aversion to food. He is oppressed with difficult breathing even in sleep which

p. 320

THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITiC.

[Chap. LI.

abates only when the cough subsides and is aggravated when the patient sleeps. If a case of Tamaka-£>v£sa be attended with fever and fainting fits, it is then called

Pratamaka. 6—9.

The case wherein the patient pants for breath and has tympanites and a burning sensation in the bladder, and wherein the breaths are painful, detached and intermittent, is known as Chhinna-Slvstea. The case wherein the patient breathes heavily lying unconscious and with a loud rattling sound in his throat and with cramps at his sides, the lips and the throat being parched and the eyes riveted in a fixed gaze or stare, is known as Mahrf-^rfsa. The case wherein a patient breathes hurriedly, lies unconscious with choked voice and upturned eyes and with his Marmans stretching out fully with each stroke of breath is called Urddhva-Slvatsa. 10— 1 2.

Prognosis S — Of these (five) types the one known a Kshudra-Svdsa is easily curable, while the one known as Tamaka-Svâsa is hard to cure, and the three remaining ones, as well as Tamaka, ocurring in a weak or enfeebled patient arc regarded as incurable. 13.

General Treatment S— Several authorities aver that mild emetics and purgatives (lit. upward and downward cleansing— Sodhana— of the system) with the exception of the application of Siieha-vasti would be the chief remedies in cases of asthma, if the patient possesses sufficient vitality. Old and matured clarified butter duly cooked with Abhayd , F//-salt and Hingu or with Souvarchala , Abhayd and Vilva would be beneficial in cases of cough, asthma, hiccough and heartdisease. Similarly old and matured clarified butter duly cooked with the pulverised drugs of the Pippalyddi group as Kalka and with (the decoction of) the drugs of the first le. the Viddrigandhddi group and with the

Chap. LI.]

UTTARA TANTRA.

p. 321

five officinal kinds of salt added to it by way of, an after-throw, relieves both cough and asthma. 14 — 15.

Himsra'di Ghrlta : — Clarified butter should be duly cooked with a Kola (D. R. Karsha) weight each of * Himsrdy Vidanga , Put ilea , Trip hold , Vyosha and Chitraka , and with milk twice as much and water four times as much as clarified butter. A draught of this mediated Ghrita relieves both cough and asthma and proves curative in cases of piles, aversion to food, Gulma, diarrhoea and consumption (Kshaya). 16.

A quantity of clarified butter, duly cooked with four times as much of the decoction of all the parts (viz. — leaves, branches, barks, flowers and roots) of Vdsaka and with its roots and flowers as Kalka, should be used with honey when cold (in cases of asthma). 17*

^rmgyfifdi-Ghrfta, — A Prastha measure of clarified butter duly cooked with S'ringi , Madhurikd , Bhdrgi , S' unthi, Rasdnjana , sugar, Ambuda , Haridrd and Yashti-madhu all taken in equal parts and as Kalka and with four times of water, would cure cases of cough, asthma and hiccough 1 8.

Suvahadi Ghrita : — A Prastha measure of clarified butter should be duly cooked* with twice as much of water and with a Kola (one TolA. D. R. — Karsha) weight each of Suvahd, Kalikd , Bhdrgi , S' ukandsd, fruits of Nichula , Kdkddani , S'ringavera , Varshdbliu and the two kinds of Vrihati. Taken hot after being made pungent (by the addition of some pungent drug & g. t Pippali), it would cure all forms of asthma. 19.

Calrified butter duly cooked with the admixture of Souvarchala , Yava-kshdta , Katuka , Vyosha , Chitraka , Vachdy Abliayd , and Vidanga , proves curative in a case

* Some prescribe the Kalkas to be taken in the ordinary way and say that the dose would be one Kola weight.

4 r

322 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITX. [Chap. LI.

of asthma. Similarly clarified butter duly cooked with the decoction of Gopa-valli (Sdrivd) weighing twice as much as the clarified butter is also prescribed. Physicians prescribe these five medicated Ghritas in cases of asthma and cough* 20-21

Tsnisrfdl-Ghrlta S — Clarified butter mixed with Hingu weighing a quarter part of its own weight and duly cooked m combination with four times as much of water and with Tdlis'a , Tdmalaki and Ugrd y Jivanti , Kushtha , Saindhava, Bilva , Pushkara , Pulika 9 Souvar - chala, Kand { Pippali), Agni ( Chitraka ), Pathyd, (Haritaki) and Tejovati as Kalka proves curative in all forms of asthma. The medicated Ghrita known as VsterfGhrita f and Shatpala-Ghrita * would likewise prove beneficial. 22.