Chapter LIV - Symptoms and Treatment of Worms (Krimi-roga)

Now we shall discourse on the chapter which deals with the (symptoms and) medical treatment of worms (Krimi-Roga-Pratishedha). 1.

Causes:—

The Pitta and Kapha of the body are aggravated by such causes as eating before the digestion of a previous meal, excessive use of any indigestible, uncongenial, incompatible or filthy articles of fare, sedentary habits, partaking of cold, heavy or fatty meals, sleeping in the day-time, excessive use of Masha, cakes, Vidala (cereals), Visa (lotus stems), Shaluka (bulbous root of the lotus), Kasheruka, pot-herbs, Sura (wine) Shukta (a kind of fermented rice-gruel), curd, milk, treacle, sugar-cane, Palala (dried plants of corn), flesh of Anupa animals, Pinyaka (oil cakes), Prithuka (Chipitaka), and such other articles of fare as well as by the use of sweet, acid and liquid articles. They help the germination of parasites of various shapes in the different parts of the body, Amashaya (stomach) and Pakvashaya (intestines) being their principal seats or location. 2.

Classification:—

The worms or parasites (which are found to germinate and grow in a living human organism) are divided into twenty different species, and have their origin either in feces, Kapha or blood^[1]. Now I shall enumerate their names and characteristic features. 2—3.

Names and Symptoms of Purishaja Worms:—

The seven kinds of worms which are known as Ajava, Vijava, Kipya, Tripya, Gandu-pada, Churu and Dvi-mukha, originate from feces (Purishaja). They are white and extremely attenuated in their size. They frequent the passage of the rectum and produce a pricking pain (therein). Several of them are thicker and have tails. Cramps (Shula), dulness of appetite, yellowness of complexion, distension of the abdomen, loss of strength, water-brash, aversion to food, heart-disease (Hrid-roga) and looseness of stool, are the symptoms which mark the presence of worms (in the intestines), which originate in the feces. Of these Gandu-pada worms are red and long in their shape producing such symptoms as cutting pain (Shula), rumbling sound in the intestines, looseness of stool, and indigestion and they come out of the anus with an itching sensation. 4—5.

Names and Symptoms of Kaphaja Krimi:—

Those known as Darbha-pushpa, Maha-pushpa, Praluna, Chipita, Pipilika and Daruna, have their origin in the deranged Kapha. They are either hairy or have hairs only on their heads, or are marked with brown spots on their sides or are provided with tails. They are white and small-sized like fresh paddy-sprouts. They eat away the marrow and bore into the eye-balls, the palate and the ears and produce head-ache, cardiac troubles (Hrid-roga), vomiting and catarrh. 6—7.

Names and Symptoms of Raktaja Krimi:—

The names of the worms originating from the vitiated blood are Keshada, Romada, Nakhada, Dantada, Kikkisha, Kushthaja and Parisarpa^[2]. They are either black or blood-coloured, glossy and thick and generally produce diseases which are peculiar to the vitiated state of the blood^[3] in the body. 8.

Specific Causes:—

Worms which have their origin in the feces (accumulated in the bowels) are the results of the (excessive) use of such articles of fare as Masha- pulse, cakes, salt, treacle and pot-herbs. The Kaphaja worms germinate in the system in consequence of eating flesh, Masha-pulse (D. R. fish), treacle, milk, curd and Shukta (a kind of fermented rice-gruel). Worms which originate from the contaminated blood of the body, are intimately connected with the use of pot-herbs and other indigestible and incompatible articles of fare. 9.

General Symptoms:—

Fever, paleness of complexion, Shula, cardiac troubles (Hrid-roga), lassitude, vertigo, aversion to food and diarrhea (Atisara) are the complaints which mark the presence of worms in the system. 10.

Prognosis:—

Of these the first thirteen kinds of worms may be seen with the naked eyes, while those beginning with Keshada (vis., the Raktaja worms) are not so visible and (of these latter) the first two (vis., Keshada and Romada) kinds should be given up (as incurable). 11.

A physician should first ascertain the nature of the worms and, with a view to destroy their colony in the body, should treat the patient with a Sneha (clarified butter or oil) and then administer an emetic with clarified butter duly cooked with the drugs of the Surasadi group. He should then purge the patient with any strong purgative and treat him with an Asthapana-vasti prepared with the decoction of Yava, Kola, Kulattha-pulse, and the drugs of the Surasadi group , charged with salt and with a Sneha (clarified butter or oil) duly cooked with Vidanga. Just after the flowing out of the injected solution (through his anus) the patient should be bathed with lukewarm water and a meal prepared with vermifugal articles should be given to him. Anuvasana-vasti should then be applied with the preceding Sneha (prepared with Vidanga). He should take a potion composed of the expressed juice of Shirisha and Kinihi (Apamarga) mixed together aud sweetened with honey. The expressed juice of Kevuka may be similarly (mixed with and) administered with a meal prepared with the articles of strong (Tikshna) property. 12.

A paste (or powder) of Palasha -seeds or the expressed juice thereof should be taken with the washings of rice. The expressed juice of Paribhadra- leaves should be taken with honey. The juice extracted from Pattura^[4] or the drugs of the Surasadi group should (similarly) be taken, or the powders of dried horse-dung or of Vidanga should be licked with honey. Pupulika-cakes prepared with (pasted Yava and) the pasted leaves of Mushika-parni (a kind of Danti) should be taken by the patient followed by draughts of Dhanya-mla (fermented paddy-gruels). 13—14.

Oil duly cooked with (the paste and decoction of) the drugs of the Surasadi group should be given to be drunk. Different kinds of cakes should be prepared for him with (Yava mixed with) powdered Vidanga. Sesamum-seeds should be duly soaked in the decoction of Vidanga (after the manner of Bhavana saturation) and oil should be then pressed out thereform (for his use). 15A.

Powdered excreta of a Svavidh (porcupine) similarly soaked seven times in (each of) the decoctions of Tri-phala and of Vidanga should be licked with honey, followed by draughts of the expressed juice of Amalaka, Haritaki, and Aksha (Vibhitaka). Powders of any (dead) metal (Ayas)^[5] may also be prepared and taken in the preceding manner. In the alternative, the expressed juice of Putika should be taken with honey, or Pippali -roots should be administered through the vehicle of the urine of a she-goat. Trapu (killed lead) should be rubbed in the upper liquid part of curd (Mastu) and should be taken for a week. Worms which have their origin in the accumulated feces or aggravated Kapha in the body should be destroyed with the help of the aforesaid medicinal remedies. 15.

Medicinal Anjanas, Nasyas and Avapidas should be particularly employed in destroying the different classes of vermins which infest the regions of head, heart and mouth and the nostrils. The liquid expressed out of horse-dung should be dried and then successively soaked several times in the decoction of Vidanga. The preperation should be blown into the nostrils (Pradhamana). Powders of killed metal (Ayas, etc.^[6]) may also be applied in the same manner. Oil duly cooked with the drugs of the Surasadi Gana should be used in snuffing with the blue part^[7] of Indian bell-metal. 17A.

Measures and remedies mentioned in connection with the treatment of alopecia (Indra-lupta) should be employed in cases of Romada worms (viz. where the worms would be found to have invaded the hairs of the body). Medicines enumerated in connection with the treatment of the diseases of the mouth should be prescribed in cases of Dantada worms (viz. where the vermins would be found to have taken lodgment in the teeth). Cases where the worms would be found to have their origin in the vitiated condition of the blood should be treated as cases of Kushtha to all intents and purposes. The drugs of the Surasadi Gana, however, may be used in any shape^[8] in any case (of Krimi). 17.

Diet:—

Meals composed of the articles of bitter and pungent tastes as well as draughts of milk mixed with the soup of Kulattha -pulse are recommended. A person suffering from any complaint due to the presence of worms (Krimi of whatever kind) and seeking their destruction, should refrain from using milk, cooked meat, clarified butter, curd, pot-herb (edible leaves), things of acid or sweet tastes as well as cold things in general. 18.

 

Thus ends the fifty-fourth chapter in the Uttara-Tantra of the Sushruta Samhita which deals with the (symptoms and) treatment of Krimi-Roga.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Charaka speaks of another kind viz. Malaja (produced from the external filth of the body), over and above that kind of worms which are present in every organism from the very birth (Sahaja).

[2]:

The names of these worms have been derived from the nature of their actions on the different parts of the organism.

[3]:

See Chapter xxiv.,—Sutra Sthāna.

[4]:

Dallana explains “Pattura” as Śephālikā, but Śivadāśa lakes it to be Śālinca.

[5]:

Ayas —lit. iron, is also used for all the metals generally.

[6]:

Ayas—as in para 15 may mean any metal.

[7]:

Oil duly cooked with the drugs of the Surasādi Gana should be placed in a pot of Indian bell-metal. When the inner surface of the pot would become blue by being oxidised, the oil should be well stirred and mixed with that blue part and used as an errhine.

[8]:

Both internally and externally e.g. as a drink or bath.