Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

Or, the person may drink the smoke of Madhuchcchista (wax), Swarjjarasa (the exudation of Shorea robusta), and ghee, cooked within two earthen vessels one placed upon another with the joining line luted with clay.

Or, he may drink the smoke of the horns, the hair, and the entrails of a cow (similarly made).| 78

Or, the smoke may be drunk of a dry pipe or tube of £yamaka (Bignonia Indica), or of Varddhamana (otherwise called Eranda, i. e., Ricinus Communis), or of Kuga (Poa cynosuroides), or of a stick, dried, of the paste of PadmakSshtha, i. e., a fragrant wood of that name, Guggula (the exudation of Balsamodendton Mukul), and Lodhra (Symplocos racemosa ), or of a stick, dried, of the paste of

+ The commentators explain that two concave earthen vessels are taken. The wax and other articles are placed in one of these vessels. The other vessel is then placed over the first, with the concave side down, so that the two vessels make a hollow sphere ; the joining line is luted with clay. Living coals are heaped upon the vessels. A hole is made in the upper one, into which is inserted a hollow tube. The action of the fire causes smoke within the vessels. This smoke is borne upwards through the hollow tube, and is inhaled by the patient.

As regards the horns, &c., of the cow, smoke is caused by a similar process and is inhaled milarly. — T. ■

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

p. 1487

^alwaki ( Boswellia serrata , syn. Bosweelia Thurifera ). The pipes and the sticks should be laved with ghee before they are set on fire for producing smoke. 79

Hiccup and asthma accompanied by such supervening ailments as weakness of voice, diarrhoea, blood-bile, and burning sensation of the skin, should be treated with sweets, oily drugs, and drugs that are cooling. 80

‘Sweda’ (fomentation of the varieties called ‘Nadi,’ ‘Prastara,’ and ‘Sankara’) should not be applied to persons afflicted with hiccup or asthma, when they happen to be afflicted with excited bile, or burning sensation of the skin, or when they have excessive hemor¬ rhagic discharges, or excessive perspiration, or weakened ‘dhatus’ or weakened strength, or when their constitutions have been exceed¬ ingly dried up, or when they happen to be females who have con¬ ceived, or when the bile predominates in their constitutions. 81

If ‘Sweda’ is at all to be applied to such persons, their throat and chest are the parts where it should be applied for a little space of time, with oily substances mixed with small gravels, heated a little, or with poultices and plasters of mild virtues, heated a little.* 82

Tila (sesame seeds), Uma (linseeds), Masha (the seeds of Phaseolus radiatus ), and Godhuma (wheat), reduced to powder, and mixed with such oils as are alleviative of the wind, should be used to make the ‘Utkarika’ (poultice) adverted to above. It should be mixed also with sour juices ; or, with milk, such ‘Utkarika’ only being beneficial. 83

As regards the class of persons mentioned in verse 81 above, if they happen to have acute fever and mucus in the stomach, ‘Sweda’ of the dry kind (i e., with dry articles) may be given. They should also observe fasts.

* Those forms of ‘Sweda’ which are known by the names of ‘Nadi’, ‘Prastara’, and ‘Sankara’, are unsuitable to persons of this description. It is only ‘Snehaseka’, that is, fomentation with oiiy substances, that is allowed. Such substances are mixed with small grains of gravel.

The composition of the ‘Utkarika’ or poultice to be used is explained in the next verses.— T.

p. 188

p. 1488

CHARAKA-SA MHJTA.

Considering also the strength or otherwise of the persons, they may be made to vomit by administering to them salt water. 84

If the physician sees that the wind is provoked by excessive ad¬ ministration of emetics, &c., he should then alleviate the provoked wind by giving the person such meat-juices, &c., as are alleviative of the wind. The juices should be neither very hot nor very cold. He should also prescribe, for the same purpose, oils for rubbing the body with.* 85

In flatulence of the stomach and noise in the intestines (of one afflicted with hiccup or asthma), boiled rice should be given with the expressed juice of Matulunga ( Citrus medica), Amlavetasa ( Rumex vesicarms), assafoetida, Pilu ( Salvadora Indica ), and ‘Vit’ salt ; for such diet is capable of restoring the wind to its normal course. 86 Persons afflicted with hiccup or asthma are of two kinds, 1. strong and 2. weak.

They may be divided in another way into two classes,^., 1. those in whom the phlegm is predominant, and 2. those whose constitutions are dry and in whom the wind is predominant. 87

As regards those in whom the phlegm predominates and who are strong, the administration of emetics and purgatives is prescribable. After this, proper diet should be given, and they should be made to inhale (the) smoke (of proper drugs) and lick (such) linctuses (as may be proper) for alleviating the phlegm. 88

If the patient happens to have the wind predominating in his constitution, or if he happens to be weak, or old, or young in years, he should be treated with medicines called '(iamana,’ i. e., such oils and soups and meat-juices as are alleviative of the wind.f 89