English
’ “Due to lesion of the phlegma and the biles (circulatory blood), tiny rashes, anorexia, exuda¬ tive vesicles, called ‘romanti’ (varicellaa or chicken BlsK II snfipimT’irr van vnsjfsinn, i vran ^vr5f li Wn ^ ii =5iKain‘i%t;r, I's* t 94. 216 AXCIENT HINDU MEDICINE pox) appear with fever, itching and polydipsia, Prom bile and phlegma ( corruption of), the tumescence of the pustules that appear all over the body like lentils (ervumlens : ervum menus), is called the variola or small pox ( masurika Cluiraka VI. 12, 73® “The painful, copper-colored, bronzed pustule that appears all over the body and within the mouth with burning fever, is called the variola ( masurika ).” Susrnta II. 13. 30*®. “ The typhoid fevers after passing through a crisis on the seventh, tenth or twellth day, either become relieved or kill the patient.” Susrv.ta VI. 39. 18®'. As it was believed that disease was due to the dercingement or the disharmonious combination of the humors of the body, the cure lay in their 94. (a) ^55tHi*or: fqs^n airiv ( i 95. gq'lcrar: i ’1133 3^^ '3P3r^''areT lu® 96. ^ 311 -s?!!!?! gxfii 3T g^c ^rTCcpam, ■> DISEASES 217 proper combinatioa by coctioii. Tlie internal' heat that was supposed to cause coction of the humors and thus to preserve the balance of the humors, requisite for normal health, was suppos¬ ed to be dissipated to the peripheral organs by morbid agents and thus to produce fever. Cure from a disease only took place when the internal combustion (metabolism or oxidation ) was normalized again. This was brougtit about by hygienic living and dietary regulation. Medicfi- tiou was but supplementary. It is well knowiw that quinine, the bitter alkaloid of the cinchona bark is a powerful remedy against the malarial piasmodia. Though cinchona is a native of the South American Andes, it belongs to the llubiaceous family of which there are many members in India. Charaka in the treatment of malarial fever mentions a bitter ( tiktaka, ) juice of leaves or bark, or concoction of a di-y bark, but it is very hard now to identify what ho meant by it : “In new fever, fasting, sweating, time, barley W'ater and bitter extract {tiktako rasa) cause the coction of raw humors (that is, bring- about the cure). ‘‘In the cerebro-spinal remittent fever and influenza, when the patient is thirsty, give him- 218 ancient HINDU MEDICINE hot water to drink. In the bilious remittent fever, cook bitter (bark or root) in water and when it is cooled, give it to drink. Such a concoction is stimulating (diparea = digestive), oxidising {pachana — which causes coction of the humors), (febrifuge {jvamghna ), blood-piu’i- fying {srotasarti pui’ifier of the streams, as the blood, lymph, urine), vitalizing {valya), appetizing {ruchi-kara), sudorific {ghar- ma’hara) and is beneficial.” Charaka VI. 8. 129 .’^ That this treatment Avas only meant tor malarial fevers, is clearly indicated by the following passage : “At the onset of the (mala¬ rial) fever fasting is proper. But it should not be followed in consumptive, nervous, phobia, excitement, depression and fatigue fevers. By fasting pathogenic agents [dom) are destroyed and when metabolism is stimulated, the body it7. I ftn i BIS (CASES 219 becomc-s light and hunger appears. But fasting ? should not lower vitality (that is fasting for a longer period than is necessary is injurious), for recovery depends on the vitality of the patient, and the object of treatment is recovery.” CharakaYl. 3. 128“’. “In all kinds of fever, treat it by counter¬ acting the causative factors. In fatigue, consumption and wound = wound or traumatism) fevers, treat the original disease.” Siwnita VI. 39, 73 “As long as the fever patient does not regain his strength (i. e. does not completely recover), he should not indulge in shower-bath {pariseha), plunge-bath (avcigaha), beverages, vomiting etc. {samsoclhana), inunction, day-sleep, exposure to 98. 99. ^ I vpnifqhfqqi i hiftfiMi twSjsf: i • ^4, 's^ i 220 ANCIENT HINDU MEDICINE cold, exercise and sexual intercourse.” Susnita' VI. 39. 68 “If a fever patient suffers from indigestion, old uine and barley broth is beneficial to him. If a fever patient suffers from coryza and anorexia (influenza), let him drink u-bey mixed with ‘trikatu’ (a mixture of sunfM —ginger, 'mafioha black pepper, p 'qipala —longpepper; Gr. *dia trion pipericlon’ made of the same ingredients, piperis longum, piperis nigri, and zingiberis). In an exhaustive continuous fever, if the patient is ema¬ ciated, on the road to recovery, mentally depress¬ ed, in cereliro-spiual or bilious remittent fever, or if the pathogenesis is not well-marked, if the patient is desiccated, has polydipsia and burning sensation, drinking of milk will benefit him. But in new fever, milk should not de drunk, as it might even cause death:” Siisnita VI. 39. 63^®’. 100. I SI ^ II 101. iq' I ^ ^Mil<l-4q)f^ II sift ?r: i DISEASES 221 ‘^In a long-standing continuous or remittent fever, if the patient becomes emaciated, he should be treated by light and easily-digestible food for his fever. Broth of a bean {mudga = phaseolus viungo) lentil {masnra = ervum hirsn- tum ), gram pea ( ehanaka = eicer arietinum), plantain {piusa paradisaica), and dolichon biflorum. The fever patient that likes meat, can take the partridge {perdicuvi chenincmium'), perdicum francolinorum, black antelope (anti- .opariim nigrarum ), bystricum, small deer, hare {lepoi'um), black-tailed deer; golden-colored deer and antiloparum albarum. The crane {gruidtc), heron {ardekl<s), peacock {pavo), chicken (gallos domesticos) and heath-cock {tetraoninna;), are hard to digest and very excitant; for this reason they are not prescribed by many physicians. But when the fever patient is nervous, it can be given in a moderate quantity.” Susruta VI. 39. 67’'’=. 1C2. TTcm ^ I 222 JLNCIENT HINDU MEDICINE . But Charaka only recommends and not their desli; howeycrpthi||jyn||||A can be a little acidulated with ff^lTOmixturo of pomegranate (punica gianatufu) to make it more palatable VI. 3. 165*''“. “Milk boiled togetlier with ginger, raisins and dried dates, and mixed with honey or sugar relieves thirst and fever. Or the milk might be diluted with water four-fold and cooked to¬ gether ; this is beneficial in old fever, and the drinking of hot milk is good in bilious remit- liTirhj n ^ft^raTwir^tT 35(fcnii a N. u j infij i | inwi<hiiqvt^: ii j ^ s)} i 103. t fWci; ajarpf ii jp5'q(3ni n w tea t DISEASES 22S- tent fevei*. Milk is restoi-atire in all consumptive fevers; it always produces good result wlietlier drunk hot ' or cold witli whatever medicine prescribed for tbe pai’tical;ir fever.” Char<tk(t VI. 3. 196>‘. “The embrace of maidens that are pretty and well-shaped, relieves the chills of (malarial) fevers, by imparting the natural warmth of their body.” Charaha Vf. 3. 208^“*. “In old pneumonic or nervous fever, if the 1 )atient suffers from chills, lieat should be ap- jdied to Avarm him uji, which is A'ery beneficial in such a case.(drinking of hot concoction, hot Avine, warm bath, hot salve and fomentations arc recommended)....The body should be covered ATith warmed cotton or silken clothes. If the 104. I jzn qq: ii ^ ito: siq?! ii 105. ewst I ’nf "(miiJWpa n 224 ANCIENT HINDU MEDICINE patient feels fatigued anoint the body with aloes ( aqiiilaria ogallocho ). And well¬ breasted, pretty and artful maidens in the first inflorescence of tlieir youth, should massage gently his debilitated body. And the maidens with the face like the autumnal moon, eyes like the blue lotps, long-curved tremulous brows, complexion like molten gold, bright-red lips (like the bimba iymt = memordica monadelpha)^ narrow abdomen (slender waist) but.- broad ex¬ pansive pelvic region, body anointed with delicate fragrance {croco sativa and aquilarm agallocJio), firm, round and elevated breasts, dressed in fine- smelling, washed and white loose dress, as a wild-creeper (entwines round a tree), should embrace him closely. But when the patient seems to be enlivened, then the maidens should be removed. When by the delightful contact of the maidens, the chills have disappeared, the patient should take pleasant and beneficial diet.” Susruta VI. 39. 106 . i DISSASES 22& Prophylaxis in malarial fever can be fiuto* raed up in these words: (a) destruction of mosquitoes; {b) the prevention of the entrance of the parasite into the human body; (<?) increas¬ ing resistance of the body against the parasite. As the mosquitoes require shallow, stagnant water for breeding and development of their larvic, the first requisite for a determined fight against malaria, is the awakened public senti¬ ment against this pernicious and malignant firtm li iTjfg: v(mj Jira: ii ii Iff i ^JiwgfqcRT^-wffii t . ■. cit: 3^: , . „ ctrewfaKf I , .^,. iiu* ,'., '" '. i 15 226 ANCIBKT HINDU MEDICINE disease. For without communal co-operation, it can not be accomplishecl. There should be complete surface and subsoil drainage and the ground should, be so levelled by filling up the ditches and the natural depressions that there can not be any accumulation of water for the breeding of the mosquitoes. All the ponds, lakes, canals and water-ways should be deepened, and the water-plants that usually float on the surface as safe breeding place for mosquitoes, protecting the larvae from the fish must be regularly and systematically removed.