Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c13.62

c13.62

A bone shifted below is to be pressed upwards, one gone upwards is to be pressed downwards. By pulling, pressing, raising, pressing together the skin and bandage, all joints in the body should be set right and made firm,and then they should be covered with proper stripes of cloth smeared with ghee and on these broad but thin and tough inner bark of a tree and pieces of bamboo and other trees should be tied. A loose bandage gives the joint no firmness, a too firm bandage causes severe pain, heat, suppuration and tumour. The bandage is to be renewed every three days in summer, every seven days in winter, every five days in medium temparature; cold decoctions of *nyagrodha*, lukewarm oil and other medicines are also to be applied on the place, or they are to be anointed with these (AHr 6.27.11-20). In early age the joint becomes firm after a month, in middle age it takes two months and in oldage three. Special rules are given for dislocations and fractures on the sole of the foot, thigh-bone, hip-bone, ribs, elbow-joint, knee, ankle-bone, hand-joint, arm, neck and throat, jawbone, nose, ears, skull etc. In a bone-fracture five pegs (*kīlaka*) should be fixed at different parts of body, so that the patient may lie quite peacefully and cannot move himself. If a part is only swollen by falling or by a stroke, and there is no wound, cold poultices and washings are to be administered. The physician should ardently strive to avoid suppuration, lest healing may thereby be rendered difficult (Su 4.3; AS; AHr; Vang; Bhāv 1. c.; Vṛnda 46).