Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Then, again, when the symptoms of excited bile are manifested, the physician ' should know that blood has accumulated (in the spleen). Excessive thirst also appears when this is the case.* 74-75

As regards the treatment of these varieties of the disease, it should be in accordance with the fault that has been excited as also with the strength of the patient. The treatment consists of the application, with discretion, of oils, of ‘sweda,’ of purgatives, and of enemata both oily and dry.

Or, blood should be let out by piercing the left arm.

Or, the medicated ghee called “Shatpala-ghrita,” or that called “Pippali-ghrita,” should be administered.

Or, chebulic myrobalans with treacle should be administered ; or, the diverse kinds of alkaline ashes, or the diverse kinds of ‘Arishta’ (vinous spirits).

The original is so terse that I have been obliged te expand it in English version.— T.

*348

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

Thus has been laid down the course Of treatment.

Listen now to the various Combinations of ‘Samjamana7 (alleviatives). 76-77

Pippali (the fruits of Piper longum), Nagara (dry ginger), Danti (i Croton polyandrum ), assafcetida, and chebulic myrobalans, taken in equal measures, and mixed with ‘Vit’ salt of a measure that is half of the united measure of the five drugs mentioned before, should be reduced to powder and administered to the patient, with hot water (as the vehicle).* 78

Vidanga ( Embelia Ribes ), Chitraka ( Plumbago Zeylanica), £unthi (dry ginger), with ghee, ‘Saindhava’ salt, and Vacha ( Acorus Calamus) : these should be roasted (burnt) on a piece of earthenware placed on fire. Adding milk to the'burnt drugs, the patient should drink the preparation. It is curative of both abdominal tumours and enlarge ment of spleen. 78

The stems (cut into pieces), of Rohita-creeper ( Andersonia Rohir tuka ; syn. Amoora Rohituka ), boiled in the decoction of chebulic myrobalans, or in cow’s urine, and kept (in either case) for seven nights, should be drunk by the patient in abdominal dropsy arising from enlarged spleen. 79

This medicine cures anaemia, abdominal tumours, gonorrhoea, piles, enlarged spleen, all kinds of abdominal dropsy, and intestinal worms.

After the medicine has been digested, the patient should take boiled rice, &c., with meat-juice prepared from the flesh of wild animals. 8o

Taking the bark of Rohitaka ( Andersonia Rohituka ), and cutting the same into small pieces, five and twenty palas thereof, mixed with two ‘prasthas’ of jujubes, should be boiled together for obtaining a decoction.

Taking a ‘pala’ of each of the five drugs called ‘Panchakola’ {viz., the fruits of Piper longum , the roots of the same, Piper Chaba ,

* X adopt the reading of GangSdhara. Some editions read ‘chitrakadaigunabhayam’ for ‘HingunSbbayam.’ — T.

CHAR AKA -SAM HIT A.

p. 1349

Plumbago zeylanica , and dry ginger), and adding the bark of Rohitaka {Andersonia Rohituka), of measure equal to the united measure of those mentioned before, a paste should be prepared by grinding them together.

Take a ‘prastha’ of ghee , and adding thereto the decoction and the paste mentioned above, boil these together. 81-83

Administered (in proper dose and with proper vehicle), this ghee quickly allays enlarged spleen, as also abdominal tumours, abdominal dropsy, asthma and difficulty of breathing, intestinal worms, chlorosis, and ansema. 84

The physician should, in those cases of enlarged spleen in which the wind and the phlegm becoming exceedingly provoked, have recourse to cautery by means of heated metals and fires, as also to the application of ‘sweda.’

In those cases, however, of enlarged spleen in which the bile is predominant, the physician should administer those drugs which are included in the group called ‘Ji va.niya./ as also (medicated) ghees, and enemata composed of milk. s5

Further, blood-letting, the administration of correctives, and the drinking of (medicated) milk and ghee should be resorted to. The physician may give unto one afflicted with dropsy born of enlarged spleen, light food (boiled rice) mixed with soups (of the seeds of Phaseolus Mungo, &c.) and other kinds of meat-juice, mixed with such medicines as are possessed of the virtue of kindling the digestive fire.

In enlargement of the liver, owing to its similarity to enlargement of the spleen, all the medicines (as also the course of regimen, &c.,) laid down for spleen, apply equally.* 86-87

Unto one afflicted with that variety of dropsy which is called ‘Vaddhodari’ (vide aphorism ante of this lesson), the physician should first apply ‘sweda,’ and then (cow’s) urine mixed with drugs of keen virtues ; also dry enemata mixed with oils and salt, and enemeta of the oily kind. 88

* Drugs are called ‘Dipaniya’ when they kindle the digestive fire and enhance ther appetite.— T.

135°

CHAR A KA-SAMHITA.

Such food also should be administered as facilitates the purging of the intestines. Purgatives of keen virtues and, generally, such courses of treatment as are alleviative of epistasis and destructive of the wind, are also recommended. 89