A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c23.93

v1.c23.93

Subjects dealt with are: the characterization of śopha (swelling) (17.3); the signs of the six types of śopha, caused by one of the three doṣas, all three together, blood, and a trauma (the āgantu type) (17.4); the signs of śopha, when unripe (āma), ripening (pacyamāna) and ripe (pakva) (17.5); a real vaidya as the one who can recognize these stages (17.6); two competing theories about the patho-physiological processes leading to suppuration (pāka) (17.7–8); the dangers when an unripe swelling is incised or a ripe swelling not incised (17.9); the pre-operative regimen (17.11–13); the dangers of leaving śopha untreated (17.14) and the advantages of starting its management early (17.15); the necessity of draining pus (pūya) (17.16); the seven main ways of treating a vraṇa (ulcer or inflamed wound):¹⁸⁷ vimlāpana (light massage), avasecana (bloodletting and other eliminative procedures), upanāha (the application of poultices), pāṭana (operative procedures), śodhana (purification), ropaṇa (granulation-promoting measures), and vailkṭāpaha (restoration of the natural colour and the growth of hair)¹⁸⁸ (17.17–18).¹⁸⁹