Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c12.65

c12.65

Dyspnoea (*śvāsa*) and hiccup (*hikkā*) proceed from similar causes, viz. dust, smoke, wind, cold, cold drinks or eatables, physical exercise, sexual extravagance, injurious food and the like, particularly appear as the conditions consequent upon the most varied diseases like dysentery, fever, cold, bleeding, chlorosis, cholera, excessive cough etc. The beginning symptoms are : pricking in the chest and the sides, flatulence and constipation, unpleasant taste in mouth, pain in the temples and irregular breathing. Of the five kinds of dyspnoea, *kṣudraśvāsa* is caused by overexertion or overeating; it however, arises only when one exerts oneself, not when one is sitting. It causes no trouble in swallowing and disappears of its own accord. In *tamakaśvāsa* or *tamaka* “ oppressive feeling ” the patient has noisy cough with phlegmatic discharge, excessive thirst, perspiration and nausea, rattling in the throat, breathing is very severe and vexing, he feels very uneasy until the phlegm comes out, feels relief for a moment after it has come out, can speak only with trouble, gets no sleep, sitting brings him ease, he has desire for warm, his condition worsens by bad weather and use of phlegm-promoting things. The disease is called *pratamaka* if there is loss of consciousness and fever is present. In *cchinnaśvāsa* the patient breathes only with interruptions or can obtain no air with all exertion, while all his joints are pained, the belly is swollen and constipated, the bladder is inflamed, the eyes roll, one of the eyes is red, the mouth is dry, there is perspiration, disjointed talk, dejection, numbness and senselessness. Such patients die quickly. In *mahāśvāsa*- acute breathlessness the patient breathes unceasingly with great noise like a raging bull, he has unrest, his voice is indistinct, the throat is dry, urine and faeces are retained, ears, temples and head very painful, he loses intelligence, his breathing can be heard at a distance. This condition also quickly leads to death. In *ūrdhvaśvāsa* the patient breathes out, but cannot breathe in, the mouth is obstructed by phlegm, the eyes are directed upwards and ramble around unsteadily, the joints ache, the voice is inaudible, he loses consciousness and becomes exhausted and dies. The cure for *śvāsa* consists of perspiring remedies, emetics, various butter decoctions, pills etc.