Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c11.43

c11.43

According to Su 4.15.9 (cf. AS 2.4.217 ff.; AHr 2.2.26-28; Vr 869) the woman should lie on the back with legs bent in the case of still birth (*and obstructed delivery-Dallana*), the hips raised by a cloth laid beneath; the surgeon should pull out the foetus with a greased hand. At that time he should extract out the foetus that comes out with both the legs stretched, if it is coming out with one leg he should pull out the other, in the case of one coming in backside position he should press the backside part above, stretch both the legs and thus pull it out. In an oblique presentation he should press up the lower half and bring the above half in the right direction towards the vagina and take out. In the case of propensity of the head towards the sides, he should push back the shoulders and draw out the head. In prolapse of both the arms he should likewise press the shoulders above and draw out the head. Of these positions (cf. § 47) the last two are considered as incurable; a foetus in these positions is called *viṣkambha* (‘bolt’) and must be dismembered with a knife (*śastra*). The surgeon should cheer up the woman and should cut the head of the foetus with a rounded or finger-formed knife (*maṇḍalāgra, aṅguliśastra*), and should take out the skull-bones, then should take hold of (the trunk) on the chest or arm-pits with a hook and pull out, or (should fix the hook) in the eye-holes or cheeks without dismembering the head. In prolapse of the shoulder he should extract the foetus out after cutting the arm in the shoulder. If the body of the foetus is swollen by wind like a full-blown tube, he should open it in order to take out the intestines and then draw it out. In back position he should dismember the orbicular bones in the anus. In general, the surgeon should cut out every part of the body that remains stuck, and extract it out and should try his best to save the mother (Su 4.15.11; AS 2.4; AHr 2.2.29 ff.)