A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c15.21

v1.c15.21

The second part deals with diarrhoea (atisāra) as a disorder arising from the injudicious administration of enemas. Six main types are distinguished: accompanied by āma, or pakva (i.e., devoid of āma) and accompanied by faeces, vāta, blood, pitta or kapha; thirty subtypes are distinguished according to the combinations of doṣas involved. This diarrhoea may lead to various complications (upadrava), such as śūla (piercing pain), pravāhikā, ādhmāna (tympanitis), parikarti, aruci (loss of appetite), jvara (fever), tṛṣṇā (thirst), uṣṇa (heat), dāha (a burning sensation), mūrchā (fainting), etc. (8.19–22). The treatment of all the types of diarrhoea is discussed (8.23–45).