Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c13.27

c13.27

visarpaka, SBE, 42, 531, 601) is also compared with leprosy (kuṣṭha) and the name shows that it is spread over on all parts (sarvato visarpaṇāt or visaraṇāt, vividham sarpati). According to Caraka the causes of its origination are excessive use of salt, sour, pungent, hot fluids and other defects of diet, also wounds, poisonous wind etc. By vāta, the place affected by visarpa is brown or reddish, swollen, extremely painful, and if one does not take proper steps against it, it is covered with quickly bursting, small, reddish or dark pustules, there is also constipation and retention of urine. By pitta, the affected part is copper-red, green, yellow, blue, black or red, and pustules are formed which are excessively burning and quickly ripening. By kapha, the place is swollen, not very red or painful, the pustules ripen slowly, the discharge is white and bad smelling. By vāta and pitta, the part appears like extinguished coal or extremely red, the pustules resemble blisters. This form is called agnivisarpa or āgneya. By kapha and pitta, the place is covered with red, yellow or whitish vesicles, and is dark, burning, deeply suppurating and without discharge. This is the incurable form kardamavisarpa. By kapha and vāta, a group of very painful glands (granthimālā) is formed, so it is called granthivisarpa. By all doṣas the disease affects all limbs and all elements of the body and shows all the above signs. This form is incurable. Granthivisarpa is incurable if the following complications occur:— fever, diarrhoea, hiccup, breathlessness, vomiting, faint etc. Agnivisarpa is also incurable if it quickly affects the major parts and brings forth numbness, sleeplessness or sleepiness, uneasiness, gouty pain in the joints. The first three forms are curable; however, unfavourable signs accompanying them are also mentioned. The treatment of curable forms should commence with emetics, fasts, purgatives, blood-letting and the like, external treatment (kriyā bāhyā) with ointments, cold poultices, plasters etc. should follow only afterwards. According to the above descriptions carbuncles and other abscesses are also to be understood by visarpa besides St. Anthony's fire (Car 6.21; Su 2.10; 4.17; AS 4.20; AHr 4.18; MN 309-14; Vr 54; Vang 689-95; Bhāv 2.4).