A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c23.369

v1.c23.369

It deals with the following subjects: the local (avayavasamuttha) swellings, which are of six types, have already been described, together with their symptoms and treatment;210 generalized (sarvasara) swelling211 is of five types: caused by vāta, pitta, kapha, concerted action of the doṣas, and poisons (23.3); the aetiology of this disorder (23.4); the symptoms and characteristic features of śvayathu (= śopha) due to vāta, pitta, kapha, and concerted action; the poisonous substances causing the fifth type, its symptoms and characteristic features (23.5); doṣas staying in the āmāśaya give rise to swelling of the upper part of the body, those staying in the pakvāśaya of the middle part, those staying in the faecal receptacle (varcaḥsthāna) of the lower part; a generalized (sarvasara) swelling arises when the doṣas have pervaded the whole body (23.6–7ab); swelling of the middle part and of the whole body is curable with difficulty; swelling of one half of the body and swelling which spreads upwards indicate that death is approaching (ariṣṭabhūta); other symptoms pointing to a fatal outcome (23.7cd–9ab); articles of diet to be avoided by a patient with swelling (23.10); the treatment of swelling due to vāta, pitta, kapha, and concerted action; swelling caused by poisonous substances will be dealt with in the Kalpasthāna (23.11); the general treatment of swelling (23.12); rules concerning diet and behaviour which are beneficial in cases of swelling (23.13).