Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c13.63

c13.63

§ 81. Foreign Bodies :—Foreign bodies of every kind are denoted as śalya, "edge of an arrow, thorn, splinter"; the art that is employed for the extraction of these foreign bodies, i. e. the surgery, is also called śalya. The śalyas are, like the vraṇas, either śārīra or āgantuka, i. e. caused from inside or from outside. The former include particularly hair, nails, urine, faeces, earwax, sand in the eyes and the like, and also the fœtus; the latter mean arrows (śara) and other iron objects. That a śalya pains in the body is generally known by the existence of a wound (vraṇa) with dark-coloured swelling, abscess formation, pain, constant discharge of blood which is raised like a bladder and contains soft flesh. Further symptoms change according as the śalya pierces the skin or the muscles, vessels, bones etc. Thus flatulence, constipation and coming out of urine, faeces and food from the wound are caused by a śalya in the bowels. A śalya in a bone causes manifold pain and a tumour. If the wound is externally closed and thereby the place of the śalya has become indiscernible, different measures must be applied for the purpose of diagnosis. Thus if the śalya pierces the arteries, vessels, canals or sinews, the patient should be made to ride in a carriage with broken wheels on a rough road. The place in which he feels irritation or pain is the seat of the śalya. Generally the seat of the śalya is there where there is irritation or pain by riding on an elephant or a horse, by ascending or climbing, coughing and sneezing and other violent movements or shocks. Many foreign bodies, especially bone and soft metal are dissolved in the body, while on the other hand horn, teeth, hair, iron, stone and the like are not absorbed (Su 1.26; AS 1.37; AHr 1.28).