Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c10.5

c10.5

1. rasa— Juice, chyle, has its place in heart and originates from properly digested food as a transparent extract of extreme fineness. From the heart it flows through the 24 tubes (dhamanīs), 10 going upwards, 10 going downwards and 4 horizontal; feeds day by day the whole body, makes grow, maintains, supports and animates it by an invisible power. At the end of five days rasa is transferred into rakta and then successively into the other basic elements of the body and thus requires a month in order to become sperm or, in the case of women, ovum (Su. 1.14). Rasa gives good mood and feeds the blood. Burnt on account of the weakness of digestion, it becomes pungent or sour and provokes many diseases (Bhāv 1.1.37). 2. rakta—red fluid, blood, originates from rasa when the same reaches the liver and spleen and there becomes red by the heating effect of pitta. Normal blood is red like the Coccinelle, not thick nor faded (Su. 1.14). Its colour is also compared with that of ruby, lac-dye, Guñjā-seed and refined gold (Car 1.24). The inference from certain expressions particularly in Bhāv that blood-circulation was known to Indians already before Harvey¹ (1619 A. D.) seems very doubtful. Spoiled by the doṣas individually, by pair or collectively, blood becomes frothy, black, blue, yellow, green, flowing slow or fast, not desired by ants and flies, oily, thick or thin, bad smelling etc. One must then proceed for blood-letting. From spoilt blood various diseases are caused, e.g. inflammation in the mouth, nose and eyes, swelling of the body, erysipelas, abscess, haematuria, nettlerash, dysmenorrhea, madness, leprosy, indigestion, irritability etc. (Car. Su. 1.c.). 3. māṃsa—flesh is blood digested by the natural fire which is condensed by the wind. Muscles—pesī, are a part of flesh ( Bhāv 1.1.38). 4. medas—fat is flesh digested by the natural fire and has its chief place in the belly, therefore in fatty people the belly is protruding (1.c.40). 5. asthi—bones are fat digested by the natural fire and dried by the wind. They form the kernel of the body and remain after the decay of the skin and flesh and sustain still longer (1.c.). For particulars see § 35. 6. majjā—marrow is a tough juice of bones digested by the natural fire which separates like perspiration (1.c. 42). 7. śukra—the generative element originates from marrow and has its chief place nearby the bladder and is also present all over the body.