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

leaves of the same plant. It should then be scorched in fire in the manner of Puta-pâka. The juice should then be squeezed out of it and used lukewarm as an ear-drop to alleviate the pain in the ear. 1 6.

Different kinds of Ear-drops The

expressed juice of Kapittha , Mdtulunga and Ardraka mixed together and made lukewarm, or the lukewarm Chukra (a kind of Kânjika) should be used as ear-drops in a case of ear-ache. As an alternative, the affected ear should be judiciously dusted with powdered Samudraphena in such a case. As an alternative, the eight kinds of officinal urines made lukewarm and used as an eardrop may prove efficacious in removing an ear-ache. Similarly, a case of an ear-ache yields to the curative virtue of an car-drop, composed of the four officinal kinds of Sneha duly cooked with the different kinds of officinal urine and acids (wine, sour-grucl, etc.,) as well as with the Vâyu-subduing drugs. 17.

General and Specific treatment of Pittaja Ear-ache : — The above-mentioned mode of treatment (car-drops and fomentations, etc.) with the Pitta-subduing drugs should be followed in PittajaKarna-sula (ear-ache). The use of the medicated Ghrita duly cooked with milk weighing ten times as much and with the drugs of the Kdkolyddi group,* as well as the Ghrita* duly cooked with the drugs of the Tikta (bitter) group would be found beneficial in such cases. Clarified butter duly cooked with the tender sprouts of Kshira-vriksha (milk-exuding trees), as well as with Yashti-madhu and Chandana wood, or that cooked with the decoction of Vimbi with (the Kalka of) sugar, Yasthi -

* Daliana says that Jejjatdcharya holds these two recipes as unauthoritative*

Chap. XXL ] UTTARA-TANTRAM. 1 1 3 madhu and the purgative drugs would also be found beneficial. 18-20.

Treatment of the Kaphaja Kama*- sula In cases of Kaphaja-Karna-sula mustard oil or Ingudi oil will be found beneficial if used as an ear-drop* Decoctions (Yusha) of the drugs of the bitter group, fomentation (Sveda) with Kapha-subduing drugs, as well as the oil cooked with the drugs of the Surasddi , or the major Pancha-mula group would be found beneficial. The expressed juice of Mdtulunga , Las'una and Ardraka , as well as S'ukta> or the oil cooked with any of them should be used as ear-drops in such cases. The use of strong head-purgatives (errhines), or of gurgles is, likewise, recommended in such cases. 21-24.

The medical treatment in a case of ear-ache due to the vitiated condition of the blood should be just the same as that in the case of a Pittaja Kamas'ula. 25

Thus we have given a general outline of the course of treatment and remedial measures to be adopted in the four kinds of ear-affections, vis. y Karna-s'ula (earache), Pra-ndda, Vddhirya and Karna-kshveda. Now we shall deal with the special recipes and preparations of ear-drops to be employed in cases of deafness (Vddhirya). 26.

Treatment of deafness s— The oil duly cooked with water, milk and Vilva pasted with cow’s , urine (as Kalka) should be used as an ear-drop in cases of deafness. Oil should be first cook^i with goat’s milk or the decoction of Vimbi fruit with sugar and Yashti- madhu and Vimbi fruit (as Kalka). When cooled down (it should be churned with the hand and) the Sneha (oily portion) should be separated. This oily part, after being stirred in the decoction of

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114 THE. SUSHRUTA SAMHITX. [Chap. XXI.

Vilva* * * § should again be cooked with milk weighing ten times and with (the Kalka of) sugar, Yashti-madhu and (red) sandal wood. It should then be thickened and used as an ear-drop in cases of deafness. Measures and remedies, which will be mentioned in connection with Pratis'yaya-f* (catarrh) or have been already described in the chapter on VAta-Vyddhi J ChikitsA may be as well employed with benefit in the present instances. 27-30.

Treatment of Puti-karna, KamasrsCva and Krlmi-karna The general mode of treatment to be employed in cases of Karna-srAva, Puti-karna and Krimi-kama is the same as above. Now here (me describe) the general mode of treatment to be employed in them. Errhines, fumigating, filling up the cavity of the ear (as with an ear-drop), cleansing and washing should be employed according to the exigencies of each case. The affected ear should be washed with the decoction of the drugs of the Rdja-vrikshddi or the Surasddi group and filled with the powders of those drugs. In a case of Karna-Srsfva, the cavity of the affected organ should be filled in with the powders (D. R! decoction) of the Pancha-Kashdya § drugs mixed with honey and the expressed juice of Kapittha , 31-32.

* In place of “Vilvdmbu-gddham” some read “Vimbi-gddham” t i. mixed with an abundant quantity of powdered Vimbi fruit. — Dallana.

t Chap. XXIV, Uttara-Tantra.

Chapter V and VI, Chikilsita-Sthdna.

§ According to some, “Pancha-Kashdya” means the barks of A'ragbadha , S'irisha , Jambu,* Sarja and of Asvamdra { Palds'a), but Dallana, on the authority of the authors of the Tikd and the Panjikd, (the two commentaries) refutes this and holds that “Pancha-kashdya” means the barks of Tinduka, Abkayd, Lodhra, Samanga 9 and of A’malafo enumerated below in this chapter.