violent epileptic fits, an intolerable burning sensation and eruptions of white pustules (Pidaka). 13.
IVIanduka (frogs):— The Mandukas (frogs) are divided in eight different species viz.^ the Krishna, Sara, Kuhaka, Harita, Rakta, Yava-varndbha, Bhrikuti and the Kotika A bite by any of these is accompanied by an itching sensation in the seat of the bite and a flow of yellow-coloured foam from the mouth. A bite by one of the Bhrikuti or Kotika species gives rise to the aforesaid symptoms as well as a burning sensation, vomiting and a severe attack of epileptic fits in addition thereto. 14.
A bite by one of the Vis'vambhara species of insects is followed by Sita-jvara (catarrhal feverj and an eruption of white pimples (Pidakd) in the shape of mustard seeds round about the seat of the bite. A bite by one of the Ahinduka species is marked by piercing pain, a burning sensation, itching and swelling (in the affected locality), as well as by delirium. A bite (contact) by one of the Kandumakai species is followed by a yellowness of the complexion, vomiting, dysentery and fever, etc. A bite by one of the S'uka-vrinta or such like species is attended with itching and Kotha (urticaria) and the bristles of the insects are found to be adhering to the affected locality. 15.
Pipilika (Ants) :— There are six kinds of Pipilika
(ants) viz., the Sthula-s'irsha, Samvdhikd, Brdhmanika,
Kapilika and the Chitra-varna. A bite by any of these
is attended with imflammatory swelling and a burning
sensation (in the seat of the bite) resembling those
produced by contact with fire. 16.
IVlakshika (stinging flies) :— Flies (Makshika)
may b3 divided into six species viz., the Kantarikd,
Krishna, Pingalika, Madhulika, Kashdyi and the Sthalika.
^ bite by any of these is accompanie(i by swelling and a
Chap. Vni. ] KALPA STHANAM. 747
burning sensation. A bite by one of the Sthalikd
or the Kdshayi species, however, is marked by the
preceding symptoms as well as by the eruption of
pustules (Pidakd), with supervening symptoms in addi-
tion thereto. 17.
IVIasakaS (Mosquitoes) :— Mosquitoes (Mas'akas) are divided into five species, viz,, the Samudra, Paii- mandala, Hasti-masaka, Krishna and the Parvatiya. A mosquito (Masaka)-bite is characterised by a severe itching and swelling of the affected locality ; while the symptoms which mark a bite by a Parvatiya one are similar to those of a bite by fatally venomous insects, and a sting of the points of their antennae is followed by the appearance of pustules (Pidaka) attended with a burning sensation and suppuration therein, when scratched by the finger-nails. The characteristic features of a bite by Jalaukas (leeches) with the mode of treatment thereof have already been described. 18.
Memorable Verses :— The poisons of the
Gaudheyaka, Sthalikd, Svetd, Agni-samprabhd, Bhrikuti
and the Kotika belonging to their respective classes
are incurable. 19.
Contact with the dead body, stool or urine of a
venomous animal is accompanied by itching and a
burning sensation, pricking pain, eruption of Pidaka
(pustules), ulcers and Kotha as well as by a slimy and
painful exudation. The local skin is found to suppurate
and the treatment would be the same as in the case of a
wound by an envenomed arrow. 20.
A bite which is neither depressed nor raised, but
very much swollen with pain (round about), but un-
attended with any pain in the seat itself just after
the bite, should be regarded as not easily amenable to
any medical remedy. 21.
748 THE SUSURUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. VIII.
A bite by an insect of strong and acute poison
should be treated as a snake-bite and the three-fold
remedies to be employed in snake-bites according to
the three-fold divisions of snakes should also be em-
ployed in these cases. The measures of fomenting,
plastering and hot washing would prove efficacious in
these cases, except in the event of an insect-bitten
patient having been found to have been fainting away
pn account of suppuration and sloughing in the seat of
the bite, in which case all kinds of cleansing (emetic,
purgative, etc.) and anti-poisonous measures should be
adopted. 22-23.
Plasters of S iris ha, Katuka, Kushtha^ Vacha,
Rajani, Saindhava^ milk, marrow, lard (Vasd), clarified
butter, S'unthiy Pippali and Devaddru in the form of
Utkarika (poultice-like preparation) should be used in
fomenting (the seat of the bite). As an alternative, the
fomentation with the drugs of the S'dla-parnyddi Gana
in the same (Utkarikd) form should be considered
equally efficacious in the case. 24.
In the case of a Scorpion bite, the affected part should
not be fomented. It might, however, be fumigated with
vapours of the drugs to be dealt with later on. The
medicinal remedies (Agadas) applicable in the several
cases are here separately described. 25-26,
Recipes of remedies in different
cases : — An anti-venomous compound (Agada) con- sisting of Kushtha, Chakra (Tagara), Vachd, Vilva roots, Pdthdy Suvatchikd^ house-soot and the two kinds of Haridrd is efficacious in the case of a bite by a Trikan- taka insect. An Agada consisting of house-soot, i?^'^;^/, Chakra^ Kushtha and the seeds of Palds'a destroys the poison of a Gala-goli insect. An Agada composed of Kumkuma^ Tagara, S'igru, Padmaka and the two kinds
Chap. VIII.] KALPA STHANAM. 749
of Rajani, pasted with water, proves curative in the case of a bite by a S'ata-padi (centipede). An Agada consist- ing of Mesha-s'rhigi, Vachd, Pdthd, Nichula, Rohini, and Bdlaka is efficacious in all kinds of Manduka- poisoning. An Agdddi consisting o^ Vac/ia, As'va-£-and/id, Ati-bald, Bald, Atiguhd (S^la-parni) and Agtihd (Pris'ni- parni) nullifies the poison of a Visvambhara insect. An Agada consisting of S'irisha, Tagara, Kushtha, the two kinds of Haridrd, Ams'u-mati and the two kinds of Sahd destroys the poison of an Ahinduka insect. Cooling measures should be adopted in the night time in the case of a Kandumaka-bite, since the poison which is aggravated by the sun's rays in the day does not prove amenable to any remedy, if applied at that time. An Agada consisting of Chakra, Kushtha and Apd- mdrga is efficacious in a case of Sllka-vrinta-bite. As an alternative, the earth of a black ant-hill pasted with the expressed juice of Bhringa would prove efficacious in such cases. A plaster prepared with the earth of a black ant-hill and the urine of a cow proves curative in cases of bites of flies, ants and mosquitoes. The treatment of a case of a bite by a Prati-suryaka is the same as that of a snake-bite. 27-36.
Origin and Classification of Scor-
pions : — Scorpions are divided into three classe, viz.^
the mild-poisoned ones (Manda-visha), those whose
poison is neither mild nor strong (Madhya-visha), and
the strong-poisoned ones (Maha-visha). Scorpions
germinating from cow-dung* or from any other rotten
substances are Manda-visha. Those which germinate
from (decomposed) wood or (decayed) bricks are
Madhya-visha (with poison neither mild nor strong);
* Dallana says ibat by cow-dung (Goniaya) is meant the dung, the urine etc. of not only a cow, but of a buffalo, etc. as well
750 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. tChap. VIII.
while those which originate from the decmposed carcase
of a snake or from any other poisonous putrid organic
matter are Tikshna-visha (strong-poisoned). The first
group of scorpions includes twelve different species,
the second three and the third and last fifteen, thus
making thirty* species in all. 37-38.
Specific traits and Characteristics of miKd-poisoned Scorpions :— Scorpions
which are black (Krishna) or dark-brown (S'yava) or of variegated colours (Karbura) or yellow (Pandu) or coloured like the urine of a cow or rough or dark blue (Mechaka) or white or red or greenish (S'advala) or red mixed with white (Rakta-s'veta)i- or provided with hair on their bodies (Romas' a) should be regarded as Manda-visha ( mild poisoned ones). A bite by a scorpion of this species is accompained by pain (in the seat of the bite), shivering, numbness of the limbs and a flow of blackish blood (from the punctures of the bite). In the case of a bite at any of the extremities, the pain courses upward, accompained by a burning sensation, perspiration, swelling of the bitten part and fever. 39
IVIadhya-visha Scorpions :— Scorpions of
the Madhya-visha (mild-poisoned) class are red (Rakta)
or yellow (Pita), or tawny (Kapila). All of them are
ash-coloured in their belly and provided with three
joints or links. They germinate from the stool, excreta,
eggs and putrid carcases of the three (aforesaid) groups
of snakes and respectively partake of the nature of the
* According to Gayaddsa the total number of the three classes of scorpions would be twenty-seven, of which the first (mild-poisoned) class consists of eleven, the second consists of three and the third of thirteen.
t In place of "white, red and whitish red" some read "white, red and little red" (Arakta)," while others make it "white in the abdomen (S'velodara), red and white."
Chap. VIII.] KALPA STIIANAM. 75 1
serpent whose fecal matter, etc. they originate from.
A bite by a scorpion of this species is accompanied
by a swelling of the tongue, an incapacity of deglutition
and violent epileptic fits. 40.
Tikshna-visha Scorpions :— The keen- poisoned (Tikshna-visha) scorpions are either white or parti-coloured (Chitra) or blackish (S'yamala) or reddish white (Rakta-s'veta) or red-bellied or blue-bellied or reddish or bluish yellow or reddish blue or bluish white; others are reddish brown and are (further divided into four classes), viz., three-jointed (like those of the previous class) or one-jointed or two-jointed or jointless. The poison of this group of scorpions, varying in colour and shape, isextremely dreadful and should be regarded as the veritable robber of vitality. They germinate from the putrified dead body of a snake or any poisoned animal. A bite by a member of any of these families produces those physiological transformations in the body of its victims which mark the different stages of a snake-bite, and gives rise to pustular eruptions (Sphota) on the skin accompanied by vertigo, a burning sensation (in the body), fever and excessive discharge of black- coloured blood from the channels (mouth and nostrils, etc.). And hence their bite proves so rapidly fatal, 41,
Treatment of Scorpion-bites :— A
bite by a scorpion of the middle-venomed or strong-
venomed class should be treated as a case of snake-
bite to all intents and purposes. In a case of a bite by
a mild-venomed one, the affected seat should be sprink-
led over with the Chakra-Taila or with a tepid oil duly
cooked with the drugs of the Viddryddi group. The
affected locality should be (repeatedly) fomented with
the application of poultices in the Utkarikd form pre-
pare4 \yith anti-venomous drugs (S'irisha, etc.). The se^t
752 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. VIII.
of the bite should then be marked with superficial
incisions (scratches) and should be gently rubbed
(Prati-sdrana) with powders of Haridrd, Saindhava^
Trikatu and the fruit and flower of S'irisha. The
tender leaves of Surasd pasted with the juice of Mdtu-
lunga and the urine of a cow in a lukewarm state, or
lukewarm (i.e., fresh) cow-dung should be employed in
plastering and fomenting the affected part. Potions of
clarified butter mixed with honey, milk mixed with a
profuse quantity of sugar and honey, treacle mixed
with cold water and perfumed with Chatur-jdtaka, or
cold milk mixed with treacle should be recommended
as drinks. Fumigation (Dhupana) with the compound
made of the feathers of the tail of a cock or a peacock,
Saindhava, oil and clarified butter pasted together and
burnt is a speedy destroyer of scorpion-poison. As an
alternative, the fumes (Dhuma) of a compound made
up of Kusumbha flower, the two kinds of Rajani and
Kodrava straw mixed with clarified butter applied to
the region of the arms speedily destroys the poison of
a venomous insect in general and of a scorpion in
particular. 42.
Spider-bites :— Cases of Luta (venomous spider)-bite (lit. — poison of a Luta) are the most difificult to diagnose and cure. The diagnosis of such a case puzzles the head of many an experienced physician, while novices in the art of healing find it a very difficult matter. In a case of doubt or of conflicting indications pointing equally both to the venomous and non-venom- ous character of the bite, a physician should employ anti-poisonous remedies of such a character as would not prove hostile (to the natural temperament and vital principles of the patient's system nor to the course of food and drink he is enjoined to take or naturally takes),
Chap. VIII ] KALPA STHANAM.
since the Agadas are applicable only in cases of poison-
ing and, applied otherwise in healthy non-poisoned
persons, would produce all kinds of discomfort. Hence
it is incumbent on a physician to gather conclusive
evidence of the poisonous nature of the bite at the very
outset. A physician, failing to ascertion the existence
of poison, proves more fatal in many cases than the bite
itself. 43.
