A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c24.86

v1.c24.86

Chapter six (madātyayādinidāna) deals with: the ten properties of alcoholic drinks (madya); the opposite properties of ojas; the same properties as those found in alcoholic drinks, which produce disorders of the mind, are also present in poisonous substances, where they, due to their strong action, are lethal (6.1–2);¹²⁹ the symptoms of the first stage of intoxication (mada) (6.3–4a),¹³⁰ of the second stage and the stage intermediate between the second and third (6.4b–6);¹³¹ the symptoms of the third stage (6.7);¹³² the bad effects of the consumption of alcoholic drinks (6.8–11ab);¹³³ persons who do not easily get intoxicated and those liable to intoxication (6.11cd–13);¹³⁴ the four kinds of disorders caused by alcohol abuse (madātyaya): with predominance of vāta, pitta, kapha, or all three doṣas (6.14); the symptoms of these four disorders (6.15–20c);¹³⁵ two disorders may arise due to resumption of drinking after a period of abstinence or starting to drink another type to which one is not accustomed: dhvamsaka and vikṣaya (6.20d–21);¹³⁶ the characteristic features of these two disorders (6.22–23ab);¹³⁷ someone who stops drinking and regains self-control remains healthy (6.23cd–24ab);¹³⁸ persons liable to develop the disorders called mada, mūrcchā and saṃnyāsa, more severe in the mentioned order; their pathogenesis (6.24–25);¹³⁹ mada arises from each doṣa separately, all three doṣas together, blood, alcoholic drinks, and poisonous substances (6.26ab); the symptoms of these seven types (6.26cd–29);¹⁴⁰ the diagnosis of these disorders should be based on the predominant presence of the symptoms of vāta, etc., blood, etc. (6.30ab); the symptoms of mūrcchā (fainting) due to vāta, pitta, kapha, and all three doṣas (6.30cd–35);¹⁴¹ the doṣas get appeased spontaneously in mada and mūrcchā, which distinguishes these disorders from saṃnyāsa, which requires treatment (6.36);¹⁴² the features of saṃnyāsa (6.37–39);¹⁴³ alcoholic drinks should be used in moderation (6.40); consumed after due consideration of one’s strength, constitution, age, etc., an alcoholic drink is like amṛta (6.41).¹⁴⁴