Chapter XIV - Treatment of eye-diseases which require Incision

Now we shall discourse on the curative treatment of eye-diseases which require surgical incisions (Bhedya-Roga-Pratishedha). 1.

Treatment of Visa-granthi:—

In a case of suppurating Visa-granthi, it should be first fomented, and its puncture-like holes should be completely incised (so as to remove any swelling in the affected part). It should then be dusted with Saindhava, Kashisha, Magadhi, Pushpanjana, Manah-shila and Ela pounded together¹⁰⁷. Honey and clarified butter should then be applied (over the dusted part), and it should be duly (loosely) bandaged (for the complete union of the parts). 2.

Lagana:—

An incision should be made into the affected part in a case of Lagana, and any of the following drugs, viz., Rocana, Yava-kshara, Tuttha, Pippali and honey should be applied to the incised part; while in serious (lit.—big) cases cauterization with alkali or with fire will be the remedy. 3.

Anjana:—

In a case of Anjana, the affected part should be duly fomented and if it spontaneously bursts open, it should be well pressed and rubbed (Pratisarana) with a plaster-compound of Manah-shila, Ela, Tagara-paduka and Saindhava, pasted together with honey. If, however, the surgeon wants to open it, it should be rubbed with honey and Rasanjana mixed together and^[1] then coated with a warm collyrium made with the lamp-black collected from a burning lamp flame. 4.

Krimi-granthi:—

In a case of Krimi-granthi, the affected part should be duly fomented after it has been incised and it should then be treated with the Rasa-kriya solution prepared with (the decoction of) Triphala (with the addition of) Tuttha^[2], Kasisa and Saindhava. In a case of Upanaha (in the eye) due to the action of the deranged Kapha, the affected part should be opened and rubbed with powdered Pippali and Saindhava mixed with honey. It should then be scraped with a Mandalagra instrument. The surrounding parts should also be gently scratched all around. 5.

In the foregoing five cases of incisable eye-disease, until the setting in of suppuration therein, the affected eye should first be treated with Sneha and then with light fomentation with (the help of) tender leaves (as a cover over the eye). In all the remedies to be adopted in the treatment of these (incisable eye) diseases, the application of a Sneha should be first adopted. In cases, however, where suppuration had already set in, the remedies for the healing up of the ulcer, should be carefully adopted. 6.

 

Thus ends the fourteenth chapter of the Uttara-Tantra of the Sushruta Samhita which deals with the curative treatment of (eye-) diseases requiring incisions.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Both Vrinda and Chakradatta read only the first two lines of the text and hold that the incision should be dusted with Saindhava only. Their commentators, however, accept the reading there to be Suśruta’s. They supply the next two lines of Suśruta, and notice the consequent alteration in the sense.

[2]:

Both Vrinda and Cakrapāni read ‘Mutra’ (cow’s urine) in place of ‘Tuttha’. Both of them also recommend the addition of Rasānjana in the compound.