A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c23.328

v1.c23.328

The subjects dealt with are: the four methods of treatment for haemorrhoids: treatment with medicines, treatment with caustics (kṣāra), cauterization (agni), and surgical measures (śastra); 82 types of haemorrhoids suitable to these treatments (6.3); the treatment with a caustic (6.4); haemorrhoids caused by vāta and kapha should be treated with cautery and caustics, those by pitta and blood with mild caustics only (6.5); the signs of adequate, excessive and inadequate cauterization (6.6); the treatment of some particular types of haemorrhoids and some complications (6.7); a caustic should be applied by means of a ladle (darvī), brush (kūrcaka), or rod (śalākā); when a prolapse of the rectum is present, a caustic may be applied without using any instrument; dietary rules for patients with haemorrhoids (6.8); post-operative measures (6.9); disorders arising from the improper use of caustics, cautery, or surgery (6.10);⁸³ the description of the rectal speculum (6.11);⁸⁴ pastes (ālepa, piṣṭa) which may make haemorrhoids disappear (6.12); a series of recipes for the treatment of haemorrhoids which are not visible (from outside) (6.13–15);⁸⁵ general rules for the medicinal treatment, dependent on the doṣa(s) involved (6.16); the treatment of haemorrhoids with bhallātaka preparations (6.17–18);⁸⁶ vṛkṣaka (= kuṭaja) and aruṣkara (= bhallātaka) are the best medicines against haemorrhoids (6.19); caustics and cautery cure visible haemorrhoids (6.20); things to be avoided by patients suffering from haemorrhoids (6.21–22).