Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

No Erysipelas is seen existing unconnected with blood-bile. (Verily, every case of Erysipelas exists with blood-bile). IJgnce, the treatment that has been laid down is of a general character.

The especial treatment of this disease, necessitated by distinctions in the measure of the predominance of particular faults, has not been expounded.

The treatment, again, has not been laid down in brief. On the other hand, I have expounded the treatment of this disease both in brief and in detail. The physician possessed of wisdom should be guided by the instructions I have laid down.] 163-164

* Lesson XXV, Supra, of this division — T.

-j- ‘Kaphanuvala’ means ‘subsidiarily accompanied by excited phlegm.’— tT.

+ Verses 162-4 are not very perspicuous. The commentators do not give the sense clearly. What the author says seems to be this, the treatment of Erysipelas born of wind, of that born of bile, of that born of phlegm, of that born of blood, &c., have been laid down. The treatment of the varieties born of wind and bile, or of wind and phlegm, or of bile and phlegm, has not been expounded, as in the case of the other diseases. It will be noticed that the author has at first expounded the treatment in brief. After this, he has expounded it in detail.— T.

I6l2

CrfIKITSA S 1'HA N A .

[VISARPA.

{Here are some verses containing a summary .)

The etymology (of t‘he name ‘Visarpa), the different names of the disease, the faults which vitiate, those ingredients of the body which are vitiated, the causes (of the disease), the seats of the disease, the violence or lightness of the disease in consequence of the course it takes {viz., inward or outward, or both) : l65

The symptoms, the supervening ailments, the particular indica¬ tions of particular supervening ailments, curability and incurability, and the treartment of those that are curable : 166

Even these have been declared in the Lesson called ‘Treatment of Erysipelas’ by illustrious Punarvasu unto Agnivega of great intelligence who questioned as to the means of success. l67

Thus ends Lesson XXI, called ‘Treatment of Erysipelas’, in the Division called Chikitsa, of the Treatise of Agnivega as revised by Charaka.

LESSON XXII.

THE TREATMENT OF THIRST.

We shall now expound the treatment of thirst.

Thus said the illustrious one of Atri’s race, i

He of Atri’s race, celebrated for knowledge, tranquillity of soul, and penances, and devoted to the good of the universe, declared the treatment for the alleviation of the five varieties of Thirst. 2

From agitation (of both body and mind), fear, toil, grief, wrath, fasts, drinking (of alcoholic liquors), through indulgence in food that consists of alkaline ashes, or that is sour, or saline, or pungent, or heating, or unoily, or dry, through waste of the ‘dhUtus’ ; or affliction of disease, or excessive administration of emetics, and exposure to the heat of the sun, the bile and the wind, becoming provoked, dry up all the ingre¬ dients of the body which are watery. 3-4

These two attaining strength also dry up the juice-bearing ducts, the root of the tongue, the throat, the palate, and the region joining the throat and the chest, and thereby cause excessive thirst in the bodies of men. S

Having become exceedingly strong, they (z. e., the bile' and the wind) dry up the water that one may drink repeatedly.

Verily, the thirst they cause is not alleviated (by even repeated ■ drinks).

This thirst appears as a dreadful supervening ailment in persons that have already been reduced by disease. 6

The premonitory indication is dryness of the mouth. The symp- , tom of the disease is a constant desire for water.

The attenuation of the symptoms of all the variaties of thirst is regarded as its cure (or removal of the disease). 7

[The general symptoms of the disease are first laid down :]

Dryness of the mouth, hoarseness of the voice, vertigo, heat (of the body), delirium, constipation (of bowels, of the urethra, and of the ducts through which perspiration flows), roughness of the palate, lips, throat, and tongue, loss of consciousness, the protruding of the tongue, disgust for food, deafness of the ear, pain in the vital parts of the body, and langour of the limbs, are caused by thirst.

iSi4 CHI KITS A S THAN A. [tRiSHNA,

Thirst is of five kinds. Hear now what those kinds are, according to their respective symptoms.

When the provoked wind dries up the watery ingredient of the body, the result is that the person dries up and becomes weak.

Drying up, he feels thirsty.* 810

Loss of sleep, swimming of the head, dryness and tastelessness of the mouth, and obstruction of the ducts, are the symptoms of windborn Thirst. “

If the bile, which is regarded as related to blazing fire, be pro¬ voked, it heats (dries up) the watery ingredient of the body.

Becoming provoked, it engenders thirst characterised by pre¬ dominance of a burning sensation of the body. 12

The presence of a bitter taste in the mouth, burning of the head, pleasure in everything that is cold, swoons, and yellowness of the eyes, the urine, and the stools, are the outward appearance of bileborn Thirst. 13