Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c15.5

c15.5

§ 90. Rheumatism :—Many of the *vātavyādhis* have a rheumatic character. This is pronouncedly the case with thigh-paralysis (*ūrustambha*), also named *ādhyavāta*. The deranged *vāta* enters the hips and thighs and fills them with *kapha* whereby they become stiff, cold, senseless, felt as not of oneself and very painful. Preliminary signs are : sleepiness, fever, goose-skin, nausea, vomiting, weakness in upper and nether thighs etc. Then excessive weariness in all parts and continual heat and pain in the thighs are felt, the foot aches while sitting down and is insensitive to cold, one cannot stand nor walk. The disease is fatal if there is heat, severe pain and shivering. The treatment, according to Caraka, falls into two kinds : internal and external. The latter consists of smearing, plastering, anointing and the like (Car 6.27; Su 4.5; AHr 3.15; MN 191 f.; Vang 426; Bhāv 2.2; Vr 24).