Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

* The construction is, ‘na sukham Iabhate arati-paritah, sthanSt asanaccha,’ *. e., filled with a restless spirit, he does not get comfort from any place or spot. ‘Paritah,’ spelt with the long », means ‘endued,’ ‘paritah,’ with the short i, meaning ‘on every side, is a ■mis-reading. — T.

LESSON XXI.]

CHARAKA-SAMHITA.

-*593

They become moist and foetid ; the flesh becomes putrid ;• the pain gradually lessens.

This disease destroys memory and consciousness.

The surface of the soles becomes cracked.

The affected part sinks inwards like soft clay, if pressure be put. upon it

Putrid flesh comes off from it

In consequence of the falling off of the flesh, the arteries and tendons become visible.

It emits, again, the smell of a corpse.

One presenting such symptoms should be regarded as afflicted with that variety of Erysipelas which is known by the name of ‘Karddama-Visarpa.’

It does not admit of treatment. 5®

Of persons who indulge in articles of food and drink that are solid, heavy, hard, sweet, cold, oily, and constipative, or, of persons who abstain from physical exercise, or, of those who do not take the required remedies, the phlegm and the wind become provoked. 51 .

Both of them, becoming vitiated, aggravated, and possessed of great strength, vitiate the blood and the rest, and engender Erysipelas. 52

Amongst them, the wind, its course obstructed, divides the phlegm into many portions and thus causes, in the region of phlegm, a series of knots which take time to ripen.* S3

Or, of one whose blood has increased, the wind vitiates the blood, and engenders a series of knots in the arteries, tendons, flesh, and skin.

These knots are characterised by excruciating pain, and are either large or small, and long or globular ; they are of a red colour. 54

* Gangadhara omits ‘vivaddhamargah’ after vayuh.

‘Kaphajaya’ is the seat of phlegm, i, e., the region above the navel and below tbschest. — T.

JS94

CM I KITS A ST H ANA.

[vis A R Pa.

From the inflammation of those knots, the following supervening ailments manifest themselves, viz., fever, diarrhoea, hiccup, asthma,, cough, waste (consumption), loss of consciousness, loss of complexion, disgust for food, indigestion, expectorations from the mouth of sali¬ vary and other secretions, vomiting, swoons, a sensation of the limbs being broken, sleep (during daytime), fretfulness, and langour.

Overwhelmed by these supervening symptoms, this variety of Erysipelas, called ‘Granthi-Visarpa.’ transcends the pale of treatment and is, therefore, to be avoided by the physician * 55

Supervening ailments are ailments that manifest themselves, after the manifestation of the principal disease, and have the principal disease for their basis.

They may be violent or mild.

Because they are born after the principal disease has manifested itself, they are called ‘upadravas.’f 56

That which manifests itself the first is regarded as the main disease.

The supervening ailments are the attributes (or accompaniments) of the main disease.

Generally, the main disease being alleviated, the supervening ones become alleviated. 57

[GangSdhara notes that the use of the word ‘generally’ implies that in rare cases the supervening ailments, or one or two of them, may be seen to continue after the cure of the main disease, — a fact that accords with the experience of evep physician.]

The supervening ailment, which arises after the manifestation of the main disease, is more painful in consequence of its appearance in the body that has already been afflicted (by the main disease).

* ‘Sarvakarmanam? has reference to treatment. What is- said here is that this variety of Erysipelas does not admit of any kind of treatment. It should be avoided by the physi¬ cian because it always proves fatal.— T,

•j" ‘Upadrava’ is derived from the affix ‘upa,’ meaning ‘upon’ or ‘after,’ and the root ‘dru’ to run or appear. Hence, etymologically, the word means anything that runs or appears after another. The accompanying ailments are called ‘upadravs’ because they manifest themselves after the manifestation of the principal disease and are only their outgrowth,— T.

LESSON XXL]

CHARAKA-SAMH1 TA

p. 1595

Hence, the supervening ailment should be quickly pursued (for subjugation). 58

[The causes and symptoms of Erysipelas born of the excitements of all the three faults are now being laid down.]

That variety of Erysipelas which arises from all those causes (which have been explained before with reference to the origin of the wind-born, and the bile-born, the phlegm-born varieties), which presents all the symptoms {viz., those of each of the previous varieties), which pervades the whole body, which affects all the ‘dhatus’ (ingredients) of the body (and not blood alone, or blood with one or two other ‘dhatus’), whose progress is very quick, and which soon brings about dissolution, should be known as Erysipelas born of all the three faults.

Verily, when these indications present themselves, the disease should be regarded as incurable, and its treatment should not be taken up. 59

Amongst the varieties of the disease, the three that arise front the wind, the bile, and the phlegm separately, are. curable.