Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

The physician should, observing all distinctions very carefully with his intelligence, cause the patient to drink, in this way, after having prepared them by combination, the various emetics and purgatives spoken of in the division called Kalpa.21

After having ascertained that the patient has been sufficiently purged, the physician should, the next day, cause the patient to be drenched ( washed ) with “ £aikhari-kashaya ” that is tolerably hot.J a. Berberis Asiatica ; syn. Berberis Aristata.

b. Pichumarddana is a name applied to the bark of the Nim, that is, Melia Azadirachta, Linn, or Azadirachta Indica, J-uss.

* In the text occurs ‘ Madanaphaladi, &c.,’ Gangadhara explains that this means Madanaphala, Pippali, and Vidanga. The Kalka of these is to be taken. By Kalka, as already explained, is meant a paste prepared by grinding dry or fresh vegetable substances on a stone with a muller, and then making a thin paste, with the addition of water when necessary. — T.

The reading ‘ triratram saptaratramva ’ does not occur in all texts. — T.

f An Anjali is, literally, a handful, or rather what is contained in the two palms when they are joined together and disposed in the form of a vessel. In Medicine, it is equal to 32 tolas, or a little less than half a seer. ' Aksha ’ is, in Medicine, equal to 2 tolas, i. e., about the weight of 2 Rupees.

The mixture is to be made in a particular way. First, an Anjali of the Infusion is to be taken. Into it should be thrown an Aksha of the paste. The latter should then be stirred repeatedly with a ladle, till it is dissolved. — T.

f ‘ Purged,’ here includes the administration of emetics.

1 Qaikhari-kashaya ’ is explained by Chakrapani as infusion of Vidanga or Embelia Ribes, syn. Embelia glandurifera. Gangadhara takes it as the infusion of Apamarga or Achyranthes aspera, Linn. — T.

charaka-samhitA.

p. 537

With the same infusim the physician should cause the patient to invariably perform all those external and internal acts which are ( usually ) performed with the help of w'ater.

If such infusion be not available, the patient should be drench¬ ed ( washed ) with the decoctiou of such drugs as are pungent, bitter, and astringent, or with alkaline ashes mixed with urine.*

After having ( thus ) drenched the patient, he should be caused to enter into a chamber not exposed to the wind, and the physi¬ cian should then treat him with such drinks as the gruel of barley boiled with Pippali(a), Pippalimala(3), Chavya(t), Chitraka(aT), and £ringavera (e).26t

When the process of the administration of gruels like that of barley is over, the patient should have the oil of Vidanga adminis¬ tered to him as enemata twice or thrice every alternate day.

If, again, the physician thinks that the patient has got * £irshada ’ worms, which sometimes move through the head, then treating his head ( first), with Sneha and Sweda, he should ( next ) be purged with errhines such as those made of seeds of Apamarga and others.a'J

* <- Kkatha ’ or decoctions are generally prepared by boiling one part of vegetable substances with sixteen parts of water, till the latter is reduced to one-fourth. In some cases, eight parts of water have been recommended. The boiling must be on a slow fire, and the liquid should be strained.

‘ Mutrakshara,’ as explained by Gangadhara, is ‘ mutra ’ or urine mixed with ‘ khsara ’ or alkaline ashes. Generally, 1 Yavakshara ’ and cow’s urine are taken. — T.

f The chamber should be a closed one, so that the inmate may not be exposed to the wind.

a. Piper longum, Linn.

b. The roots of ditto.

c. Piper Chaba, Hunter ; syn. Chavica officinarum.

d. Plumbago eeylanica, Linn.

e. Zingiber officinale. ( Common ginger powder.)

X Gangadhara wrongly reads ‘ Vilepya ’ with the previous aphorism. Chakrapani correctly explains ‘ Vilepya kramagatam ’ as equivalent ‘to krita538

CHA RA KA -SA At HI TA.

That course of diet which has been declared to be destructive of the birth of worms is hereafter explained.

Taking the plant Mushikaparni(a) with its roots, top, and stem, it should be cut up into pieces, then pounded in a mortar, and then the juice ( of the paste ) should be pressed out by the hands.

Pounded £ali rice of the red variety should be thrown into that juice and then stirred ( with a ladle ).

It should then be made into cakes which should be baked upon smokeless charcoal. Those cakes should next be dressed in Vidanga-oil and salt, and given to the person who has worms in his stomach, for eating.

After this the patient should be made to drink sour Kanjika ( b ) and Uda^wit ( c ), and the decoction of the five aggregates numbering Pippali ( d ) as the first, seasoned with salt.27

According to the same process cakes should be made of pound¬ ed £ali rice of the red variety stirred in the juice of any one of these plants, viz., Markara ( e ), Arka (_/), Sahachara ( g ), Nipa (Ji), yavagvadi kramam,’ i. e., when the previous process of administering ' yavagu,’ &c.,’ is over.