Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c11.47

c11.47

§ 49. Women's Diseases and their Treatment :— The diseases of the confined woman are grouped under the name *sūtikāroga*. The symptoms are : pains in the limbs, fever, shivering, thirst, a feeling of heaviness in the limbs, swelling, colic, diarrhoea or the appearances of ailings emanating from kapha or vāta such as fever and diarrhoea, ulcer, loss of strength, nausea and so on. The puerperal fever is also particularly mentioned. The remedies specially recommended are decoctions of different plants and roots, hot treatment, anointing, baths etc. (MN 411 f.; Vr 876 ff.; Bhav 2.4.192-4; cf. Su 3.10.19 f.; Kausika sūtra 28.15). In *makkalla* the blood retained by vāta in the genitals of the woman causes swelling below the navel, in the sides, in the bladder or in the neck of the bladder, causes pain in the navel, in the bladder, and in the belly, sensation in the entire uterus which is as if pierced with a needle, and retention of urine. Peritonitis or Perimetritis puerperalis is perhaps meant by this. The remedy consists of various decoctions mixed with ghee, salt, lukewarm water etc. (Su 3.10.22; AS 2.3.211 ff.; Bhav 2.4.191). If there is a prolapsis of the uterus, a skilled woman midwife should smear it with the blood of some animal and set it in its place. When it is set firm, she should warm it with a decoction of oil and various plants and replenish and should say to it : "Blessed one, go to thy place" (AS 2.3.212).