Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c11.49

c11.49

Of the female sexual diseases (yoniroga, yonivyāpad), twenty kinds are generally distinguished, with many differences in the particulars (Car 6.30.1-39; Su 6.38; AS 6.38.321 f.; 39.324-29; AHr 6.33.27 ff.; 34.22 ff.; MN 413 ff.; Bhāv 2.4.172-4; Vang 848 ff.; Vr 65). The causes of these diseases are: defective behaviour of the woman in connection with diet and manners of life, a bad bed, corrupted menstrual blood, bad sperm, excessive sexual intercourse particularly if the penis of the husband is too large, the use of apadravya (remedy for enlarging the penis at the time of cohabitation¹) and also destiny. The diseased conditions of female genitals partly are: the vagina is abnormally narrow or broad by nature or by disease (sūcvaktrā, mahāyoni) and is not agreeably excited by cohabitation (atyānandā), or is violated by sexual intercourse with an especially fat husband or before the attainment of maturity (aṇḍinī, phalinī, prākcaraṇā), or painful insufficient menstruation with frothy blood (udāvartā, udāvṛttā), excessive flow of hot blood (lohitakṣayā, rudhirakṣarā), flowing of corrupted blood which leads to the death of the child or to abortion (jātaghnī, putraghnī, customary abortion according to Dutt), tendency for abortion or prolapse which renders the delivery more difficult (sraṃsinī, prasraṃsinī), painful dryness of the vagina connected with costiveness and retention of urine (śuṣkā), the formation of a puffy growth in the vagina which obstructs the passing of the menstrual blood (karṇinī), complete absence of menstruation and barrenness resulted thereby (vandhyā, ṣaṇḍī), expulsion of the penetrated sperm from the uterus together with the menstrual blood after 6-7 days ( rāminī ), or rejection of the same ( acaraṇā ), a very painful crookedness of the entrance of the vagina ( antarmukhī ) etc. The derangements of the three doṣas are also responsible for the diseases. The Yonivyāpad result into the fact that the patient does not conceive and falls prey to the various diseases like swelling of the uterus, haemorrhoids, menorrhagia etc. The treatment is directed according to the affected doṣas; in vāta nutrient and hot remedies, enemata and other remedies removing the vāta are to be used, in pitta cold baths and in kapha dry and cold medicines. After the application of nutrient and hot remedies the displaced vagina (yoni) should be set right, the oblique one should be straightened, the narrow one should be widened, one that has come out should be put in, one that is turned upside down should be turned round, since a displaced yoni works like a foreign matter ( śalya ) in female body. In many cases insertion of cotton, pungent stuffs ( for cleansing the yoni ), applying oil etc. are recommended; baths, anointings, shower-bath, substantial food consisting of milk, flesh-broth and the like, various decoctions etc. are further recommended.