English
Fever ( pyrexia ) in which the normal tempe¬ rature is markedly exceeded for any length of time above about 37 degree Centigrade or 98. 6 degree Fahrenheiht, is caused by the disturbance of the heat-regulating mechanism. Whatever stimulates the thermogenetic centre or unduly constricts the vaso-dilators so that the excess of heat can not be dissipated, provokes fever. In sun-stroke, the peripheral nervous mechanism is 78. era fhi i 79. T? ciq !raTi3T^^rfkpi!at i =qr^g‘1%cTT fii^rawra, 11 19S ANCIENT HINDU MEDICINE jiaralyzed and consequently the body teraperar- ture is considerably raised. But when a toxin is introduced into the blood, the auto-defensive mechanism of the body—adrenals and thyroids— are stimulated and their oxidase-secretions are poured into the blood stream, the heat-generating centre is also excited by reflex and sympathetic stimulation, so that by the enhanced metabolism, the toxic products and their agents can be made comparatively harmless to the organism, if not destroyed. Adrenal secretion raises the blood pressure by constricting the vessels so that the toxins and their pathogenic agents are subjected forcibly to the immunizing action of the blood. Thyroid secretion dilates the blood vessels so that the attenuated toxins can be eliminated by sweat¬ ing to relieve the kidney of its heavy burden, if it has not been equal to the task imposed upon it. Bever is the physiological expression of the sei'erity of the struggle between the invading enemies and the host for self-defence, that is, the reaction that has been set up in the body to make innocuous the toxins and the^micro-organisms- that produce them. Bever is the index of the resisting power of the organism against the virulence of the infection. It is the nature’s healing process, and indicates that the auto- DISEASES 199 protective mechanism of the body is active. Absence of fever in a toxemia of any kind proves the inability of the body to react, owing to defici¬ ent sensitiveness of opsonin of the blood and the immunizing glands, either inherited or acquired, or to the fact that the toxin is itself a very power¬ ful paralyzant or anesthetic of the sensory impres¬ sions. Hyperpyrexia ( fever above 105° F. ) on the other hand indicates the hyper-excitation of auto defensive mechanism and the consequent over-production of the immunizing principles, and if long continued, might lead to the proto¬ plasmic destruction of the red-corpuscles and the endothelial cells by hemolysis and autolysis.: This excessive disintegration of the protoplasm is indicated by the increased excretion of nitro¬ gen, sulphur and phosphorus and in extreme cases, acetone, aceto-acetic and B-oxyhutyric acids with the urine. And this is attended Avith many functional derangements. The activity of the digestive glands is diminished, hence loss of appetite and inanition. On hepatic cells is imposed the heavy task of reducing excessive metabolic wastes, especially the vast number of red-corpuscles, and the consequence of the hepatic hyper-activity is the greatly increased production of the hepatic excretory product—the 200 ANCIENT HINDU MEDICINE 4 bile. Aud if it is continued long, it causes ^bilious remittentfever or malarial hemobloginuric fever’ {paittika jvara, Susnita VI. 39. 12) in which the urine is brownish yellow in color, containing a good deal of urobilin, less of urea, but more of ammonia, as the excessive quantity of sulphur aud phosphorus—the disintegration- productions of abnormal destruction of red ■corpuscles, become oxidized into sulphuric and phosphoric acids and readily combine with ammonia which otherwise Avould have been changed into urea. There is of course pronounced jaundice. The liver becomes fatigued and ' sluggish in its activity. Gradually com¬ mences the fcitty and granular degeneration of its cells. The kidney also shows its terrible strain by fatty and fibrous infiltration. I. Fevers. “Fever is caused by lesions of the body or the mind; for fever otherwise can not be developed in a person without injury.” Charaka VI. 3. 10‘“. fNr; i ^ ft II =^w^ftnr, ftftui’iTgiJTsig, ^ t SO. DISEASES 201 “Excessive use or abuse of ^snehadV \^Sneha = unguents, = sweating through Turkish bath or other sudoriferous means, vamaHa = \o- miting, — purgation ; absorption, re¬ tention (of any toxic matter) or exhaustion fever], traumata {ahhighata — ^\\ock. or wound fever), development of disease {rogotthana= symp¬ tomatic fever as a reaction against the patho¬ genic germs and the toxins elaborated by them), tumescence {i))'apa]ca= coci\on of tumefaction, that is inflammatory fever), fatigue (sra? = fati¬ gue fever), inanition (/Afcryff —consumption, that is consumptive or famine fever), indigestion (a/i';*wa = dyspeptic fever), tomn (i7isa= toxemia) 'mental derangement{sdtmyai'ttuparyaya = hysteri¬ cal fever), smell of poisonous Jlotcers {omdhl- puspa-gandha= Qoyiix or hay fever), worry {soka= depression fever), sudden seasonal changes {iiaksatra-prapidana = stellar vexations= spring or autumnal fever), hypnotism {abhichdra=- exor¬ cism : hypnotic fever), enervation {ahhisapa = execration : nervous fever), desire or passion {mauasor forma = unreciproeated and ungratified sensual passion : erotic fever), hallucination ■{l)hu'ahhisahkd=iei\x of ghosts : hallucinary fever ), the unhygienic living of a woman that has miscarried or has given normal birth 202 ANCIEST HIKDU MEDICINE {puerperal fever), the establishment of the secretion of milk following childbirth {stanyava- faray},a =m{\k fever)—these causing lesion of the nerve etc. produces fever in human beings." Sxisruta^l.. 39 , 8 .'* ‘‘Excessive consumption of astringent, dry or cold food and drinks , excessive use of vomit¬ ing, purgation, sweating and snuffs ; and over- e.xercise, retention of feces and urine, fasting, traumata, venery, anxiety, son’ow, vigilance— excess of these things irritate the nerves.” Charaka II. I. 8®'. “In the erotic fever, there is a good deal of contemplation (of the beloved object) and 81 . ^ I - N fiq; j[=rff % if 15cti%cTr, ^TlTctnW, c I 82 . 5rc|qi?iqn% i hRiwPW, U i DISEASES 20a sighing ; in the fever of sorrow, tears ; in the fever of fear, anxiety ; in tlie fever of anger, excitement; in the hallucinary fever, delusion ; and in toxemia, unconsciousness, illusion, intoxi¬ cation and enervation.” Charaha VI. III. 115.’® “In the gastro-intestinal fever, there are anorexia, indigestion, heaviness of the stomach, the irregularity of the heart ( heat), semi-con¬ sciousness, lassitude, continued fever, unchange¬ ability of the lesion, nausea, salivation, lack of hunger, sliminess of the mouth, fatigue, somno¬ lence and heaviness of the body, polyuria, loose feces and enervation—these are the symptoms in the gastro-intestinal fever.” Charaka VI. III. 125’\ 83. 'tHiiir ^ I 84. i 204. ANCIENT HINDU MEDICINE ‘‘Lassitude, watery eyes, yawniug, heaviness of the body, fatig'ue, inclination and disinclina¬ tion by turn for fire ( to sit by the fire side ), sun (sun-bath), l)reeze and water (bath), indiges¬ tion, foul taste in the mouth, gradual change of the (physical) strength, complexion and temper¬ ament—these are the prodromal symptoms of fever.” ChamkaYl. 111. 25*'. “Excessive internal heat (hyperaemia), thirst, delirium, quick respiration, illusion, pain at the joints, cessation of the perspiration and consti¬ pation—these are the symptoms in hyperpyrexia (at the onset of malarial fever the blood is driven from the peripheral to the internal organs, wliere there is excessive congestion, and while the surface of the body shivers with chills, there is increased high temperature).” Charaka VI. III. 35**. 85. ffid" i 86. TRTq: =3?|5T i 71^ feifn ?nf% ii DISEASES 205* Thougli the principle of Hindu medicine is based basically on humoral pathology, it seemsj Susruta formed a vague relationship of malaria with mosquito bites and swampy localities, where mosquitoes are developed. And it was ascribed to a particular kind of mosquito, and not to all classes of them. “There are five types of mosquitoes {masaka belonging to the ‘Culicklae' family, consisting nearly of one hundred genera’and eight hundred species), namely ^marine’ {samudra = coastal mos¬ quitoes ), ^glohular' = perhaps the mosquitoes belonging to the genus '‘migarliinina^ which has strongly curbed proboscis), cules ele- plianti ( hastimasaka), ‘dark’ {ki'sna = taeniorhyn- chus) a,Q.d‘mou}itamous’ {parcvatit/a=a,noTghe\ss)^ The biting of the ‘ moimtamous’ mosquito (ano¬ pheles) produces an effect like that of deadly insects.” Stisruta V. 8. 18®’. ‘Tf the part bitten by a spider becomes swoll¬ en, A/hite, black, red or bronzed (cyanotic or de¬ generative changes), and there are symptoms of 87. ifir i ssiIf fq^^' ^!?nr7raT i 206 ANCIENT HINDU MEDICINE fever, burning pain, dyspnea, hiccup and head¬ ache, the prognosis is usually bad.” Charaha VI. 23. 45*. “There is a kind of mountainous mosquito whose bite causes symptoms like the bite of deadly spiders {lata —aranea)”**®. According to medical experts, iQrimvL{trt'iyaha) and quartan {cliaturthaka') fevers ( of malarial origin ) are produced by nervousness ; Avhile the valley or the marsh atipalyaka —at the foot-hill of the mountains, that is the swampy Tarai of the Himalayas where anopheles is found in large numbers and malaria is endemic ), and drink or intoxication ( vnadya-samudhhava = produced by wine) fevers are ascribed to blood-pollution ( pitta-lcTta = corruption of the bilious principle, which is the blood ). Pneumonia {pralepaJca) and 88. €cn: fhcrr iflciT ii aa. i SS.