Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c11.28

c11.28

§ 45. Abortion :— Premature births are brought about by food or drink that is too heavy, warm or pungent, particularly by flesh and intoxicating drinks, insufficient feeding, fasts, indigestion, unaccustomed physical exercise, sexual intercourse, violent movements, riding in a fast going carriage, running, stumbling, tumbling, falling in a grove or a well, sitting in an uncomfortable posture, wandering by night, suppression of natural excretions, anger, grief, anxiety, fright, sudden hearing or looking, diarrhoea, emetic and purgative, abortive things and other injuries (Car 4.4.18; 4.8.22; Su 2.8.3; AS 2.3.106; AHr 2.1.44-47; 2.2.22). The foetus comes out either as an unripe fruit, or withered or expires in the womb (AHr 1. c.). As the fruit which is devoured by worms or is shaken by the wind falls down before time, so the foetus comes before time if it is loosened from the connection (with the mother) in consequence of some injuries; in a normal birth the foetus is loosened from the placenta at the expiry of its time like a ripe fruit which is loosened from its stalk. Abortion in the beginning of pregnancy is called garbhavicyuti, garbhavidrava. If the pregnant woman menstruates on account of defective retention in the first two or three months, it is clear that the foetus will not remain, for in this period it does not become firm (Car 4.8.24; Su 2.8.7-9; AS 2.4.214; MN 456). In the disease of female genitals which carries the name putraghni ("killing the son" § 49), the flow of blood (raktasamsrāva) is considered as the cause of death of the foetus (Su 6.38.13). According to Su and MN such early births extend to the fourth month. On the other hand, an abortion in the fifth or sixth month when the body of the foetus has already become firm, is denoted as garbhapāta (Su 4.8.10; MN 418). Others take the period of garbhapāta to begin with the fourth month (Car 1.c.; Bhoja in citations). The phenomenon of abortion according to Su, AS is that the loosened foetus comes out of the womb and deranges the intestines. The derangement of nervous energy in the lower abdomen causes violent pains in the neck of the bladder, abdomen, sides and the vagina; it causes constipation and retention of urine and kills the foetus while it is still young and drives it out (Su 2.8.3; AS 2.4.216).