Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c12.38.4

c12.38.4

Thereupon he should smear the bowels with honey and butter, lay them again in their place and sew up the external wound of the belly (Car, Su, AS, AHr). In *dakodara* the surgeon should, of course with permission, take an incision on the patient while friends have held him fast and have covered his body with cloth upto the arm-pits, on the left side, four *angula*s below the naval with *vrīhimukha* (trocar), as deep as the broad part of the thumb, then place inside a tube of tin or other material or a quill and tap the water of dropsy, not at one sitting lest it may cause thirst, fever and other complications, but gradually within 16 days. The wound should be rubbed with oil and salt and bandaged and a cloth should be covered around the body. The diet should be limited to milk for six months and eating should be resumed after an year (Car 6.13; Su 2.7; 4.14; AS 3.12; 4.17; AHr 3.12; 4.15; MN 236-242; Bhav 2.3.78-86; Vang 535-561).