English
ound from microbic infection), DISEASES 369 plaster ( patra-dana, as a pepastic). germicide {krmiglma, as a destructive agent of tlie micro¬ bes ), detosicauts ( msughna ), stimulants (ormhana^ to activate tlie organism to fight against the disease, to throw off the toxins and to restore health ) sedatives ( siro-virechana , to remove •congestion from the upper parts of the body, in case of abscesses there ), sniijf ( nasya, as a sedative), mouth-wa'sli ( Icavala-dhiiratia, as a disinfectant in stomatitis), fumigation ( dJmma^ exposure to the action of a disinfectant smoke ), omaleptic ( madlm-sarpi, a restoration), operation ( yantra, to operate where there is a foreign body in the wound and its month is narrow ), dietary {dhdra, light and stimulating foods), and hygiene {raksa-vidhmia^ as curative and preven¬ tive). “Susruta IV. 1. 22. ; 59^ 7 alf*! 'K'tFIT tTRi: 'W+J 5ThlTq- 360 ANCIENT HINDU MEDICINE “After the above-mentioned treatment, if the inflammation is found to be of a suppurative kind, then by the application of a pustulant, it has to be made to suppurate, then lanced and disinfected.” IV. 16. 4^'®. Etiology : Eurimcle or boil is not possible without the infection of stapliylococcus pyoge¬ nes aureus which is invariably found in the pus. This gives rise to acute inflammation and exudation, leading to necrosis of the tissue. The infection of the staphylococcus pyogenes aureus is favored by the impairment of the tissue vitality, which is the natural consequence if the blood contains toxic, irritant or effete matters. In that case, the tissues are not only ill-nourished, and therefore incapable to offer natural resistance to microbic invasion, but ^ gsi; ii • 156. ?(asR; i n ^ DISEASES 361 especially when the kidney fails to eliminate the effete and the toxic substances in the blood, the burden falls on the skin as an eraunctory organ. This naturally irritates the skin and predisposes it to the infection of staphylococ¬ cus which is ubiquitous causing furuncles, boils and carbuncles. And they are usually associat¬ ed with the diseases, especially .if the renal functions have been impaired, as in chronic dyspepsia, gout, rheumatism, scrofula, tuber¬ culosis, diabetes and albuminuria. It is frequent¬ ly met with in dyspepsia in which there is insufficiency or deficiency of the pepsin and the trypsin, especially the latter, leading to albuminous putrefaction, whose toxic products are absorbed into the blood, and are thrown over to the skin for elimination wffien the kidney alone is not equal to the task. Therefore special attention should be paid to dietary and cleanliness. Fresh, healthy, whole¬ some light and easily digestible food should be taken in restricted quantity, especially of the albumins. All irritant foods, drinks and spices must be avoided. Whey or butter-milk which by its lactic acid producing content (lactose ) counteracts putrefaction by changing the culture medium of the proteolytic bacteria is a very 362 ANCIENT HINDU MEDICINE preferable addition to the diet, or an exclusive diet for a few days. “A 'slesma* tumor which has not been reme¬ died by a,ny tipplicatioa, and which has not grown in any vital organ, should be dissected, extirpa¬ ted, in its premature state, the wound caute¬ rized and treated as any fresh Avound. Susruta IV. 18. = \ “A tumor in its premature state ( that is, it should be operated as early as possible) should be excised and cauterised. Or as accord¬ ing to the previous insrtuction, it should be scratched out, and the caustics should be applied to the wound. “Smi'utaTV. 18.16*®*. ‘‘If the neoplasm is not deep-rooted, then with a ( wire ) of tin ( frapti ), copper, lead or silk (cord) it should be surrounded, and carefully 157. i 158. ^ifv' t sm ’a 5r<ft4<sig, ii u . i': I DISEASES 363 tlie physician should use the knife, cansAc or cautery, according’ to the strength of the patient. Susnila IV. 18. 29 ’ “If any pai^gof'the neoplasm remains and is not completely i^irpated, tlien from the remnant the neoplasm reappears, as fire can grow from a small spark left-over ; therefore all the growth ( of the neoplasm ) nlli^t be extir¬ pated”. Susruta IV. 18. 33^^'’. There is no question that the complete extirpation of either the benign or the malignant neoplasm is tlie best remedy, wherever possible, that is when they have not developed with a deep base in any vital organ. VII —SJcin Disease,'^ Prodromes of Leprosy ;—“The thickening of l5Sn. c{?ra5s“ii wuiwfi; ii 159. cijssim i * The writer regrets that he lacks the clinical ex- 364 ANCIENT HINDU MEDICINE the skin, sudden borripilation, pruritus, hyperi- drosis or anhydrosis, anesthesia of the skin, the extension of ulceration if any wound takes place, and the dark color of the blood are the prodromes of 'Ktistha^ {leprosyStisriita II. 5. ‘^In the ^vata^ leprosy, the lepromes are browny and slender with boring pain and anesth¬ esia 5 it is called ^ariina^ sun-colored ^lepra flava^ In the ^pitta^ leprosy, tlie nodosities are like the' perience of skin disease, especially the tropical derma¬ tosis, and the diseases of the genital organs. His knowledge is limited to the studies of authorities on' these subjects. And moreover as the cutaneous mani¬ festations are hard to identify without the associated symptoms, and both Charaka and Sus ruta have given vague description of them, only those diseases will be mentioned which have a direct bearing on the history*- of syphilis in ancient India. It is very likely that the papulo-squamous syphilide, pustulo-crustaceous syphilide, tubercular syphilitic dactylitis, exostoses,, osteo-periostitis, nodes, gummata and ulcerations have been classified as leprous manifestations or varieties of leprosy. 160 . cM ^q: fini ^ DISEASES 365 ripe fruit of 'ficus glomarata’ ; this is called 'midanivara'' leprosy ( lepra nodosities, rounded, hemispherical, varying in size from a pin’s head to a hazel-nut, hard iind elastic to the touch, pale-red or brown in color, may appear from the beginning without any antecedent patches,scatter¬ ed over the body, especially on the face, forehead, elbows, knees and legs ). In the ‘rsya-jihva' leprosy, it ( the lepra erythematous patch ) has the size and the roughness of antelope’s tongue. Black scales appear in 'kapala' ( scabby leprosy : psoi'iasis ), Black-red patches like those of the fruit of ‘abrus precatorvus' appear in ‘kakanaha' ( lepra nigricuns, black in the centre and reddish at the edges as in the 'kahanaka’ fruit). Heat, tensive pain, hypersemia and cloudy sensation ( disturbances of the cutaneous nerves ) are felt in these four kinds of leprosy. With microbes bullae appear, burst and ulcerate. 'Faundarika' {nodes) are shaped like the lotus leaves ; 'dadriC is copper-colored or like that of the flower of Hinuni usitaliosimum’ (dark) and the nodes continue to grow covered with herpes. The nodes of both ‘paundarika and dadriC are elevated, globular and pruritic and they take a long time for their growth. These are their general symptoms. 366 ANCIENT HINDU MEDICINE Minor ‘kustha’ : Hard, broad-based, tbick and dry nodules develop at the joints in ‘sthula- rukm’ ( dry leprosy ). There is contraction of the skin (the skin thickens by infiltration and forms deep sulci by folding on itself ), boring pain and anesthesia in ‘inaha-kustha’ ( anesthetic leprosy). The disease in ’which tlie skin becomes dai'k-brown (bronzed ) is called ’eka-kust/m ( Addison’s disease ) ; this is incurable. In ^charmadala-kusfha* ( tinea albigena ? ) there are pruritus, tremor, tensive and burning pain in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The leprosy in which the skin, blood and the flesh become affected, and spread over the body, like ei’ysipelas ( visarpa ), and which causes swooning, burning sensation, nerv'ousness, prick¬ ing pain and ulceration, is called 'visarpa-kustha* ( cutaneous leprosy ). The leprosy in Avhich exudative bulhe repeatedly spread over the body is called ‘parisarpcd ( macular leprosy ). The skin lesion, in wliich tliere is pruritic, whitish, painless and scattered ( tami — thin ) eruption in the upper part of the body, is called ‘sidhma- kustdia’. The skin lesion in which veiy pruritic, painful and dry patches appear over the entire body, is called ‘vicharohikd’ ; if this very pruritic and painful manifestation appears only on the DISEASES 367 foofc, it is called ^vipadika,' ( 2')soriasis ). The skin lesion which is exudative, clobular, super¬ ficial, very pruritic, shiny and dark, is called ‘kitima' ( acne keloid y. If exudative, pruritic, inflammatory and tiny pustule appears over the- entire body, it is called 'pcimci' ( ec::emoj ). If the- ^pamd’ becomessuppurative, it is called '■pyosis troplca\ Pruritic bnt non-exudative pustules that appear over the entire body, are called ‘rakasd' ( dry eczema ). Susruta II. 5. 7-10* 161 . i fJrfgngt% I II = ^'^irersi i vRpfi n if n firaq'gu ft 1 g.'^NniKftcift'jign^i gi^T ftsuf: ^ utftgfpc: h 368 ANCIENT HINDU MEDICINE “When the microbes begin to eat up the skin etc., various symptoms appear according to the nature of tlie lesion. Due to ‘vata\ ( lepromas ) become pale-Trhite or sun-colored, rough and dry, and there are boring pain, emaciation, piercing pain, tremor, wrinkles of the skin, horripilation, lassitude, paralysis, anesthesia, gangrene and mutilations ( of extremities ). Due to 'pitta' the following symptoms manifest, as burning sensation, sweating, effusion, decomposition ( of the tissues ), exudation, ulceration and bloody color ( of the sores ).