A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c24.63

v1.c24.63

The subjects dealt with are: the requirements for the twenty-six śastras (sharp instruments) (26.1–4);³⁴⁵ a list of the twenty-six śastras (four additional verses);³⁴⁶ descriptions of the form, dimensions, etc., and the uses of each instrument:³⁴⁷ maṇḍalāgra (26.5); vṛddhipattra (26.6–7ab); utpala(pattra) and adhyardhadhāra (26.7cd); sarpāsya (26.8ab);³⁴⁸ two kinds of eṣaṇī: gaṇḍūpadamukhā and sūcīmukhā (26.8cd–9ab);³⁴⁹ vetasa(pattra), śarāryāsya³⁵⁰ and trikūrcaka (26.9cd); kuśavadana ³⁵¹ and ātāvadana ³⁵² (26.10ab); antarmukha ³⁵³ (and ardhacandrānana)³⁵⁴ (26.10cd–11a); vrīhimukha (26.11b–d); kuṭhārī (26.12); śalākā (26.13a–c);³⁵⁵ aṅguliśastra (26.13c–15); ³⁵⁶ baḍiśa (26.16ab); karapattra (26.16cd–17ab); kartarī (26.17cd); ³⁵⁷ nakhaśastra (26.18); dantalekhanaka (26.19);³⁵⁸ three kinds of sūcī (26.20–21ab);³⁵⁹ vrīhivaktrā sūcī (26.21cd–22a); ³⁶⁰ kūrca (26.22b–23ab);³⁶¹ khaja (26.23cd–24ab);³⁶² karṇapā-līvyadhana (26.24cd);³⁶³ ārā, and a sūcī for piercing thick earlobes (26.25–26); non-metallic anuśastras (accessory sharp instruments), such as leeches, caustics, fire, glass, stones, nails, etc. (26.27–28ab);³⁶⁴ the functions of sharp instruments (26.28cd–29ab);³⁶⁵ the eight defects (doṣa) of sharp instruments (26.29cd–30ab);³⁶⁶ the ways of handling the sharp instruments (26.30cd–32);³⁶⁷ the case for keeping the instruments (śastrakośa) (26.33–34);³⁶⁸ indications for the use of leeches (jalaukas) (26.35ab);³⁶⁹ poisonous leeches, disorders caused by using them, the treatment of these disorders (26.35cd–37c); ³⁷⁰ non-poisonous leeches (26.37d–38); ³⁷¹ non-poisonous leeches are to be rejected when they are intoxicated by blood (raktamatta) (26.39);³⁷² the application of leeches and their removal (26.40–43ab); ³⁷³ the method for making the leeches vomit the blood sucked (26.43cd); the leeches should be protected from intoxication by blood (raktamada) and not be used again for seven days (26.44ab); signs indicating that their vomiting has been proper, deficient or excessive (26.44cd–45ab);³⁷⁴ the storage of leeches (26.45cd–46ab);³⁷⁵ the treatment to be applied when not all the corrupted blood has been removed (by the leeches) (26.46cd–47ab); removal of the corrupted blood makes redness and pain subside (26.47cd); corrupted blood that accumulates becomes sour (vyamla) (26.48); removal of corrupted blood by means of a gourd or pot is indicated when the corruption is caused by vāta or kapha, contra-indicated when caused by pitta (26.49); blood corrupted by vāta or pitta may be removed by a horn, but this is contra-indicated when kapha is the corrupting agent (26.50);³⁷⁶ bloodletting by means of scratching (pracchāna) (26.51–52);³⁷⁷ indications for bloodletting by scratching, by the use of leeches, a horn, gourd or pot, and by means of phlebotomy (26.53–55ab);³⁷⁸ the treatment of the site of bleeding (26.55–56).³⁷⁹