Different Stages of poisoning in
cases of birds :— -A bird, bitten by a snake, looks
stead-fast and becomes unconscious in the first stage of
poisoning. The second stage is marked by an extreme
agitated condition of the bird and the third stage ends
in death. According to several authorities there is
only a single stage of poisoning in the case of a bird.
A snake-poison cannot penetrate far into the body of a
cat, mungoose, etc. 32-33.
Thus ends the fourth Chapter of the Kalpa Sthdnnm in the Sus'rula Samhitd which treats of the specific features of the poison of a snake- bite.
Now we shall discourse on the Chapter which deals with the medical treatment of snake-bites (Sarpa-
dashta Kaipa-Chikitsitam).
General treatment of Snake-bites :—
In all cases of snake-bites ligatures of cloth, skin, soft fibre or any other soft article (consecrated with the proper Mantras), should first of all be bound four fingers apart above the seat of the bite in the event of its occurring in the extremities, inasmuch as such a proceeding would arrest the further (upward) course of the poison in the body. As an alternative, the seat of the bite should be incisioncd, bled and cauterized where such a ligature would be found to be impossible. Inci- sion, cauterization, and sucking (of the poisoned blood from the seat of the bite) should be highly recommend- ed in all cases of snake-bites. The cavity of the mouth should be filled with a linen* before sucking (the blood from the wound). It would do the man bitten by a snake an immense good if he could bite the serpent that had bitten him or failing that, bite a clod of earth without any loss of time. 2-3.
The seat of the bite by a Mandali snake should not;
however, be cauterized inasmuch as the preponderant
Pittaja character of the poison, aggravated by the appli-
cation of the heat, might lead to its speedy expansion
or coursing in the system. 4.
Mantras : — A physician well-versed in the Mantras of anti-venomous potency should bind a
* Dallana recommends burnt earth or the earth of an ant-hill or ash for the purpose of filling up the mouth before sucking the poisoned blood.
7l6 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHItA. tChap. V.
ligature of cord consecrated with appropriate Mantras
which would arrest a further spread of the poison.
The Mantras full of occult energy of perfect truth
and divine communion, disclosed by the Devarshis
and Brahmarshis of yore, never fail to eliminate the
poison from the system, and hold their own even
in cases of deadliest poisons. Elimination of the poison
with the help of Mantras, full of the energy of Brahmd,
of truth and austerities, is more rapid than under the
effects of drugs. 5. A.
A man, while learning the Mantras, should forego sexual intercourse, animal diet, wine, honey, etc., should be self-controlled and clean in body and spirit and (before learning the Mantras) shall lie on a mattress of Kus'a-grass. For the successful application of his newly acquired knowledge (Mantras^ he shall devo- tedly worship the gods with offerings of perfumes, garlands of flowers, edibles, (animal) oblations, etc., and with the appropriate Mantras sacred to them as well as with burnt offerings, since a Mantra chanted by a man in an unclean spirit or body, or accented or uttered in- correctly will not take effect. The medicinal compounds of anti- venomous drugs should also be employed in such cases. 5 .
Blood-letting in Snake-bite :~A skill-
ful physician should open the veins round the seat of
the bite and bleed the affected part. The veins of the
fore-head and the extremities should be opened in the
case where the poison would be found to have spread
through the whole organism. The poison will be found
to have been fully eliminated with the passage of the
blood (from the incisioned wound). Hence bleeding
should be resorted to as it is the best remedy in a case
cf snake-bite. 6-A.
Chap, v.] KALPA STHANAM. 717
Plasters of anti-poisonous drugs (Agada) should be
applied all round the seat of the bite after scarifying it>
which should be sprikled with water mixed with (red)
Sandal wood and Us'ira or with their decoction. The
appropriate Agada compounds (according to the nature
of the bite) should be administered through the medium
of milk, honey and clarified butter, etc. In the absence
of these, the patient should be made to take (a solution
of) the black earth of an ant-hill (dissolved in water).
As an alternative, (a paste of) Koviddra, S'irisha, Arka
and Katahhi should be prescribed for him. The patient
should not be allowed to take oil, the soup of Kulattha-
pulse, wine and Sauviraka. The patient should be
made to vomit with the help of any other suitable
liquid available, since vomiting in most cases leads to
the elimination of the poison from the system. 6.
Specific treatment of the bite by a
hooded (Darvi-kara) Snake :— In the case
of a bite by a hooded (Darvi-kara) snake, bleeding
by opening the veins should be resorted to in the
first stage of poisoning. In the second stage, the
patient should be made to drink an Agada compound
with honey and clarified butter. In the third stage,
anti-poisonous snuffs (Nasya) and collyrium (Anjana)
should be employed. In the fourth stage, the patient
should be made to vomit, and medicated Yavagu
(gruel) mentioned before (in connection with vegetable
poison — see Chapter II, para. 26, Kalpasthdna) should
then be given him for drink. In the fifth and the
sixth stages, after the administration of cooling
measures, strong purgatives and emetics should be
administered and the foregoing medicated Yavdgu
(gruel) should be administered to the patient. In the
seventh stage, strong medicated Avapida-snuffs and
71 8 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. V.
strong collyrium of anti-venomous efficacy should be
employed for the purification (purging) of the head.
Superficial incisions like the marks of crow's feet should
be made on the scalp and the affected flesh and blood
should be removed. 7.
Specific treatment of bites by a
IVIandali Snake : -In the first stage of a case of
poisoning by the bite of a Mandali snake, the treat-
ment is the same as in the corresponding stage of a
Darvi-kara (cobra) bite. In the second stage, an Agada
compound should be given with honey and clarified
butter and after making the patient vomit the preced-
ing medicated Yavagu (gruel) should be administerd to
him. In the third stage, after the exhibition of drastic
purgatives and brisk emetics, a proper and suitable medi-
cated gruel should be administered. In the fourth and
the fifth stages, the treatment would be the same as in
the corresponding stages of a Darvi-kara (cobra) bite.
In the sixth stage, the drugs of the Madhura (Kdkolyidi)
Gana taken with milk prove efficacious. In the
seventh stage, anti-venomous Agada compound in
the shape of Avapida (snuff) would neutralise the
effects of poison. 8.
Specific treatment of Raji man- bites :— In the first stage of a case of Raijiman-bite, bleeding should be resorted to and an Agada should be administered with milk and honey. In the second stage, emetics and an anti-venomous Agada should be given to the patient. In the third, fourth and fifth stages, the treatment should be the same as in the corresponding stages of a case of Darvi-kara-bite. In the sixth stage, the use of the strongest (anti-venomous) collyrium and in the seventh stage, that of an Avapida (snuff) of similar virtue should be prescribed. 9.
Chap, v.] KALPA STHANAM. 7X9
Contra-indication to blood-letting in cases of Snake-bites:— in the case of an
infant, an old man, or an enciente woman having been
bitten by a snake, all the foregoing remedies in milder
doses with the exception of blood-letting should be em-
ployed according to the requirements of the case. lO.
Dosage of Collyrium, etc., to be re- sorted to incases of different beasts
and birds :^The quantity of medicated collyrium
(Anjana) to be used and blood to be let out in the case
of a goat or a sheep bitten by a snake should be equal
to those laid down in connection with a similar human
patient, while the quantity should be doubled in the
case of a cow or a horse. In the case of a camel or a
buffalo it should be trebled, while in the case of an
elephant, it should be quadrupled Birds of what
soever species in a similar predicament should, howevei,
be treated only with sprays of cold water and cooling
medicated plasters, ir.
General dosage of medicines in
cases of Snake-bites : — In cases of snake-bites,
collyrium to the weight of one Mdshaka (Mdsha) should
be used at a time. The dosage of medicated snuff
(Nasya), potions and emetics being respectively double,
quadruple and eight times thereof. But a wise physi-
cian should treat a case of snake-bite with a full regard
to the nature of the country, season, temperament, as
well as to the intensity and the particular stage of
poisoning the case has reached. 12-13.
We have described the anti-venomous measures and
remedies applicable to the different stages of poisoning
(by a snake-bite). We shall now deal with the specific
treatment of poisoning of either kind according to the
physical symptoms developed in the patient. Blood-
720 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. V.
letting should be speedily resorted to in the case where
the poisoned limb had become discoloured, rigid, swollen
and painful. Curd, Takra, honey, clarified butter and
meat-soups should then be given to the patient affected
with a poison marked by a preponderance of the ag-
gravated Va'yu and by a craving for food. A person
aff*ected with a poison marked by a predominance of
the aggravated Pitta would have thirst, epileptic fits,
perspiration and a burning sensation in the body and
should be treated with shampooiag with cold hands
and with cold baths, and cooling medicinal plasters. A
person affected with a poison marked by a predomi-
nance of the aggravated Kapha and bitten in the winter
would have cold salivation, epileptic fits and intoxica-
tion and should be treated with strong emetics. 14.
Specific treatment of the different Supervening Symptoms :— Purgatives
should be exhibited in the event of the patient being oppressed with such symptoms as pain and burning sensation in the abdomen, Adhmana (tympanites), reten- tion of urine, stool and flatus, painful urination and other troubles of the deranged Pitta. CoUyrium should be applied (along the eyelids) in the case of a swelling of the eyeballs, somnolence, discolouring of the eye, cloudiness of vision and discoloured appearance of all objects. The head of the patient should be cleansed (purged) with medicinal errhines (Nasya) in the case of pain and a heaviness of the head, lassitude, lock-jaw, constriction of the throat (Gala-graha) and violent wryneck (Manya-stambha). Powders of such drugs of the S'iro-virechana group as are of strong potency, in the shape of Pradhamana Nasya should be blown into the nostrils of the patient suffering from the effects of poison- ing in the case where such symptoms as loss of conscious-
C*»ap- v.] KALPA STHANAM. 721
ness, upturned eyes and drooping of the neck would set
in. The veins of his forehead and of the extremities
should be instantly opened. When such opening of the
veins would not be attended with (the desired) bleeding
superficial incisions in the shape of cow's feet (Kdka-
pada) should be made by an experienced surgeon on
the scalp of the patient. These failing, the incisioned
bits of flesh mixed with blood should be removed
and the decoction or powders of a Charma-vriksha
(Bhurja patra) should be applied to the incisions.
Dundubhis (small drums) smeared with anti-venomous
plasters should be sounded around the patient. The
patient thus restored to consciousness should be treated
with both purgatives and emetics. A complete elimi-
nation of the poison from the system is a very difficult
task but it is indespensably necessary, since the least
remnant of the poison may again be aggravated in
course of time and cause lassitude, discolouring of the
complexion, fever, cough, headache, swelling, emaciation
(bosha), cataract, blindness, catarrh (Pratis'yaya), aver-
sion to food and nasal catarrh (Pinasa). These diseases
and any other supervening symptoms of poisoning
should be treated according to the injunctions laid down
under their specific heads with a careful consideration
of the Dosha or Doshas involved in each case. 15.
The ligature should then be removed, the seat of the
bite incisioned and an Agada plaster should be applied
there, so inasmuch as the poison is found to be lodged in
a condensed form (in the puncture of the fangs) and
is likely to be after^vards aggravated (if not fully
eliminated). 16.
Remedy for aggravated Doshas due
to poison:— If the Vaiyu of the body be found to be in an aggravated condition, even after a careful elimi-
722 THE SUSHRUTA SAMHITA. [Chap. V.
nation of the poison from the system with the help of
suitable Mantras, measures and medicinal remedies,
it should be pacified and restored to its normal con-
diiton with any V^yu-pacifying Sneha, etc., other than
oil. The use of fish, Kulattha-sou'^ and acid articles
(fermented rice-gruel, etc.) is forbidden. The aggravated
Pitta in such a case should be remedied with the appli-
cation of a Sneha- Vasti and with the decoction of drugs
prescribed in cases of PittajafeVer, while the deranged
Kapha should be corrected with Kapha-subduing
remedies or with (the decoction of) the drugs of the
Ara^vadhAdi Gana mixed with honey, or with a diet
consisting of bitter and parching (Ruksha) articles of
food. 17.
A person found to be unconscious from the effects of
a fall from an uneven ground or from the top of a tree
or precipice as well as a drowned man rescued uncon-
scious, or one in a state of suspended animation owing
to strangulation should be treated according to the
injunctions and with remedies laid down in connection
with the treatment of persons who have become uncon-
scious from the effects of poisoning (mentioned in the
present chapter). 18.
