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

If a case of ulcer is attended by loss of blood, pain and difficulty in eating, it is turned to a case of Sosha and is pre-eminently the most uncurable type of the desease. Rupture or ulceration in the lungs (Urahkshata) is caused by physical exercises, lifting up heavy loads, excessive and loud reading, a hurt or a blow, or excessive sexual congress and such other acts as require the active co-operation and entail excessive straining of the chest fUrah). They ultimately discharge blood and pusy secretions. Yellowish, black or purple coloured blood is expectorated or hawked out by coughing. A burning sensation is felt inside the region of the chest. A fetid smell is felt in the mouth and in the breath. The complexion of the body and the tone of the voice is changed and the patient becomes senseless from the excessive pain he suffers from. In certain cases the symptoms vary according to the varied natures of their exciting factors, and all the specific symptoms arc not fully exhibited. Nevertheless these diseases also go under the denomination of Kshaya (consumption) owing to the fundamental vital principles of the body being equally consumed or withered up in them, and the specific mode of their treatment has already been explained before (Chapter XV, Sutra-Sthdna). 15-17.

Chap. XU]

UTTARA-TANTRA.

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Premonitory Symptoms:— Laboured or difficult breathing, a gone-feeling in the limbs and a sense of physical lassitude, secrdtion of mucus, dryness of the palate, vomiting, dulness of appetite, vertigo or fainting fits, nasal catarrh, cough, somnolence, whiteness of the eyes, desire for meat, and increased sexual propen* sities are the symptoms which mark the advent of the dreadful disease — Sosha. The patient dreams that he has been borne on the wings of a crow or a parrot or a vulture or a pea-cock or has been riding a porcupine or a lizard or a monkey or sees in dreams river-beds dried up and trees dried up or fanned by gales of wind or surrounded by flames or fumes of fire. 18.

Prognosis : — A gradual wasting of the body inspite of sufficient food, presence of AtisAra (diarrhoea) and swelling of the abdomen and scrotum are the symptoms of a comsumptive patient who should be given up. The treatment, however, of a patient temperate in his habits and strictly conforming to the instructions of the physician and possessed of a good digestive fire and not much reduced in body may be taken in hand provided the disease be an acute one. 15-20.

Treatment The patient should be made first to use the medicated clarified butter prepared from the milk of a ewe or a she-goat and duly cooked with the drugs of the Sthirddi (VidAri-gandhAdi) group, and then mild emetics and purgatives. Intestinal injections after the manner of an As|jhApana Vasti should follow the preceding medicinal measures and head-purgative (Siro-vircka) should be applied. The diet should then be given consisting of (cooked) wheat, barley S'dli-rice together with meat-essence. Constructive tonics or tissue-builders (Vrimhana) should be given to a patient with a gqod digestion and relieved of

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p. 242

THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITX.

[Chap* XU* ail distressing symptoms or concomitants* Complications peculiar to the action of the deranged bodily Vdyu generally mark a case due to sexual excess, wherein constructive tonics and remedial agents of Vdyu-subduing virtue would be found to be extremely efficacious. 21 — 22.

Diet— meat, etc. : — The flesh of a crow or an owl or a mungoose or a cat or a Gandupada (earthworm) or a cormorant or a beast of prey (VyAla) or of any animal of the Vilesaya or Jangala class mixed with Saindhava salt and fried in mustard oil, should be prescribed in various ways for a patient laid up with Phthisis. The diet may also consist of Mudga-sou p or of Adhaki - soup or of the flesh of an ass, camel, elephant, mule or horse variously prepared and well cooked. Meat in combination with any Arishta as well as wine mixed with Mddhvika may also be given. 23.

Various articles of food made of barley-grains previously soaked in the alkaline water duly prepared with Arka and Amritd may likewise be prescribed. Clarified butter skimmed off from the milk of a ewe or a she-goat, may be given with gruel at the meal-time to .an extremely emaciated patient. A compound consisting of Tri-katU) Chavya and Vidanga made into a paste with honey and clarified butter should be given to be licked up by a patient suffering from Phthisis. The use of a medicated clarified butter duly cooked with the essence of the flesh of any carnivorous animal and mixed with Pippali and honey as an after-throw proves remedial in a case of Phthisis. A lambative consisting of Drâkshd , sugar and Mdgadhikd pasted together with honey and oil proves efficacious as a cure for Phthisis. A'.case of Phthisis would yield to the use of a lambative consisting of 774 *, Mdsha - pulse and As'vgandhd ground