A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c23.541

v1.c23.541

The subjects dealt with are: the aetiological factors, which are the same as those for hiccup (51.3);755 pathogenesis (51.4);756 śvāsa, a serious disease (mahāvyādhi), is, though one in its nature, divided into five types: kṣudraka, tamaka, chinna(śvāsa), mahā(śvāsa), and ūrdhva(śvāsa) (51.5);757 the prodromes (51.6);758 the characteristics and symptoms of kṣudraśvāsa759 (51.7),760 tamaka761 and a variety called pratamaka762 (51.8–10),763 chinnaśvāsa764 (51.11),765 mahāśvāsa766 (51.12),767 and ūrdhvaśvāsa768 (51.13);769 kṣudraśvāsa is easily curable, tamaka is difficult to cure; the remaining three types, as well as tamaka in a weak patient, are incurable (51.14);770 general treatment; some authorities assert that purificatory measures by both the upper and lower routes, with the exception of snehabasti, should be applied; actually, only mild varieties of these measures should be employed in patients with an adequate vital power (51.15);771 medicated ghees: abhayādighṛta (51.16), sauvarcalādighṛta (51.17–18ab), hiṃsrādighṛta (51.18cd–20ab), vṛṣaghṛta (51.20cd–21ab), śṛṅgyādighṛta (51.21cd–23ab), suvahādighṛta (51.23cd–25ab); a second sauvarcalādighṛta and a variety of it, prepared with a decoction of gopavallī (51.25cd–26); the five ghees mentioned772 are to be employed in śvāsa and kāsa (51.27ab);773 the recipe of tālīśādighṛta (51.27cd–29ab); vāsāghṛta774 and ṣaṭpalaghṛta775 are also beneficial (51.29cd); bhṛṅgarājataila (51.30);776 meat broths, vegetable yūṣas,777 and milk preparations (51.31–32ab); five electuaries (leha) (51.32cd–35);778 a series of various recipes (51.36–43ab); the recipes described for pāṇḍuroga, śotha and kāsa may also be used in cases of śvāsa (51.43cd–44ab); some more recipes (51.44cd–46ab); beneficial articles of diet and related items (51.46cd–47); treatment with oleation and sudation (51.48–49ab);779 treatment with medicinal smokes (dhūma) (51.49cd–53ab);780 treatment of strong and weak patients (51.53cd–54);781 an electuary (51.55); śvāsa, kāsa and vilambikā are as difficult to restrain as a fire fanned by the wind, or the vajra hurled by the king of the gods782 (51.56).