Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Flies come from all directions to the body, which has a very sweet taste, of a person whose time is up, even if the body be well-washed and smeared with fragrant unguents. 20

Here occurs a verse containing a Summary.

By these indications which I have set forth of juice and smell, the physician should tell the fruit, which is death, of the person, who has blossomed.* 1

Thus ends the Second Lesson, called Pushpitamindriyam, in the Division called Indriya, of the treasise of Agniveca as revised by Charaka.

LESSON III.

We shall now expound the Lesson called ‘ Parimarshaniyamlndriyam.’

Thus said the illustrious son of Atri.f 1

The indications have been duly set forth of persons whose death Is near, in respect of colour, voice, smell, and taste. Listen now to the indications in respect of touch. 2

The physician desirous of ascertaining the remnant of a patient’s period of life principally by touch, should himself touch the f * Parimarshana’ is touch. Having expounded those indications of colour, voice, smell, and taste which help the physician in ascertaining the near approach of death, the Rishi proceeds to expound those indications which appertain to the sense of touch. The meaning of the word used for naming this Lesson will appear clearly from the succeeding

* The correct reading, in the second line, is ‘etaih’ and not ‘etat’ as occurs in Gangadhara’s text. ‘ Yani &c., (tais or) etais &c.’ is grammar. ‘Etat’ would give no sense. — T.

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CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

patient’s body with his own healthy hand, or cause it to be touched by another.* 3

Verily, the following particulars should be ascertained by the physician by touching the body of the patient.

These are, —

The cessation of motion of those parts of the body which are (normally) in a state of constant motion.

Coldness of those parts which are (normally) always warm.

Hardness of those parts which are soft.

Roughness of those parts which are smooth.

The absence of parts that are (normally) existent.-jDislocations, fractures, emfastenings of joints ;

Absence or loss of flesh and blood ;

Hardness of the flesh ;

Appearance of perspiration or its total stoppage or suppression : Whatever else also of abnormality arising without any apparent cause.

Even this is an abridgment of the symptoms of the conditions perceptible by touch.! 4

We shall now expound them in detail.

If upon an examination, severally, of the limbs of the patient by touch, it is found that his feet, calves, thighs, lips, abdomen,

* 1 By another,’ i. e., if the patient happens to be a lady. So exclusive are Hindus, .•and Mussulmans too, in the matter of everything concerning their ladies that the physician unless he happens to be a relative or, indeed, an exceptionally trusted person, is not allowed to touch the bodies of female patients. The only part that can be touched is the wrist for feeling the pulse. The abdomen is seldom allowed to be touched ; still more seldom, the chest. In certain families, if the eyes of a female patient have to be examined, she is covered up with a piece of thick cloth, or made to sit behind a screen. Two small holes are kept in the cloth or the screen through which the eyes only are seen. Difficulties ean, therefore, be easily imagined which physicians have to encounter in India in treat¬ ing the diseases of women. The movement inaugurated by the Countess of Dufferin for training lady-physicians for the treatment of lady patients in India is a step in the right direction. — T.

t This implies the absence of testicles, which injome diseases, cannot be felt by the rtouch, for they actually go upwards,

J The correct reading of the last line is ‘lakshanananam samgraha sprigyanam bhavanam.’ Gangadhara has ‘drigyanam’ for ‘sprigyanam,’ which is evidently incorrect. Some texts wrongly omit ‘sangraha.’ The use of ‘vyasatat’ in the succeeding sentence proves the correctness of the reading ‘sangraha,’ — T,

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

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flanks, backbone, hands, neck, palate, hips, and forehead are cover¬ ed with sweat, cold, motionless, hard and destitute of flesh and blood, he should then be regarded as one whose life has already expired or is about to expire. 5