The Classical Doctrine of Indian Medicine: Its Origins and its Greek Parallels c12.s3.35

c12.s3.35

² This word depends on *tan*, "to extend", and not on *pat*, "to fall"; hence the etymology proposed here is fallacious. The diseases in question are the different forms of tetanus whose "convulsion-causing" wind provokes spasms. The names of *ākṣepaka*, *apātānaka* are the epithets of the wind as tetanus-causing functions but easily become names with morbid forms provoked by the latter; in that case these words are used for *ākṣepaka-roga*, *apātānaka-roga*, etc. It has been believed that *apātānaka* denoted epilepsy (Suśr., trnsln. of K.L. Bhishagratna) undoubtedly because of the indication that there is a fall but epilepsy is well-known and is described elsewhere as *apasmāra* and the mention of falls, which are not the characteristics of tetanus (whose access, in any case, is incompatible with the standing position), seem to be due to the care shown for etymology; the rest of the piece refers clearly to tetanus and to the diverse forms of tetanic accidents.