A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c23.63

v1.c23.63

Six poisonous and six non-poisonous kinds of leeches are distinguished (13.10). 131 The names of the poisonous leeches are: kṛṣṇā, karburā, alagardā, 132 indrāyudhā, 133 sāmudrikā, and gocandanā. A description of these leeches follows. 134 The symptoms of leech-bites and their treatment by means of a compound drug, called mahāgada, 135 are discussed; patients bitten by an indrāyudhā are, however, incurable (13.11). The names of the non-poisonous leeches are: kapilā, piṅgalā, śaṅkumukhī, mūṣikā, puṇḍarīkamukhī, and sāvarikā. 136 A description of these leeches follows (13.12). 137 Non-poisonous leeches, with good qualities, are found in the Yavana, 138 Pāṇḍya, 139 Sahya, 140 and Pautana 141 countries (13.13). 142