The Garuda Purana

by Manmatha Nath Dutt | 1908 | 245,256 words | ISBN-13: 9788183150736

The English translation of the Garuda Purana: contents include a creation theory, description of vratas (religious observances), sacred holidays, sacred places dedicated to the sun, but also prayers from the Tantrika ritual, addressed to the sun, to Shiva, and to Vishnu. The Garuda Purana also contains treatises on astrology, palmistry, and preci...

Chapter CLXII - The Nidanam of Chorosis

Dhanvantari Hear:—me, O Sushruta, now discourse on the Nidanam of chlorosis (Pandu), Œdema and Anasarca (Shotha). The morbific principles of Vayu and Kaphah, in combination with the Pittam extremely aggravated through their respective aggravating factors, are carried upward in the region of the heart, the deranged and aggravated Vayu supplies the motive power in these instances, and the aggravated Pittam, through the channels of the ten Dhamanis (nerves) which branch out from that locality, spreads all through the organism. The deranged Pittam vitiates the Kapham, blood, skin, and flesh of the body, imparting a varied hue to its skin. As the colour of the skin largely becomes yellow (Pandu) like turmeric in this disease, it is called Pandu Roga (Jaundice).

In the amaja type of Jaundice, the fundamental principles of the body become lighter and considerably lose their consistency. The patient suffers from a marked anæmia, the functions of the sense organs are impaired, the limbs become loose and flabby, the quantity of fat is diminished in the body, and the bones are deprived of their substance. The limbs get thinner and thinner every day, a clammy perspiration is felt in the region of the heart, a burning and aching sensation is experienced both in the conjunctiva and sockets of the eyes, and the mouth becomes filled with saliva. Thirst is conspicously absent. The patient cannot bear the least cold, and abhors all cold things, and a persistent fever of equal intensity, attended with dyspnœa. earache, vertigo, vanishings of sight, impaired digestion and horripilation on the skin of the head are found to supervene.

The disease admits of being grouped under five subheads according as it is engendered through the several, or concerted action of the morbific principles of the body. A peculiar type of chlorosis is caused by eating earth, and the premonitory stage of all types of Jaundice develops such symptoms as, perspiration about the region of the heart, dryness of the skin with a repugnance for food, yellowness and scantyness of urine, or absence of perspiration.

The Vataja type of Chlorosis is marked by lassitude of the body, a stupour like that of a drunkard, and an excruciating pain in the limbs. The veins, finger-nails, feces, urine, and conjunctive assume a black colour, or look dry and coloured like vermilion, and œdematous swelling of the limbs and dryness of the feces and of the mouth and the nostrils are the symptoms which further characterise this type of the disease. In the Pittaja type the veins become either yellow or greenish coloured, and fever with thirst, fainting, vanishings of sight, heat, and emaciation of the body with a bitter taste in the mouth and longing for cold things are found to supervene.

Diarrhœa, acid risings, a burning sensation in the body, clamminess of the cardiac region, somnolence, a saline taste in the mouth, cough, and vomitting are the features which mark the Kaphaja type of Jaundice, which is very distressing in its effect. The expectorated mucous in this disease acquires a pungent or sweetish taste either through a preponderance of the deranged Vayu or Pittam. The deranged phlegm vitiates the fundamental principles of fat etc., of the body, and produces a condition of parchedness in the organism which results in hæmorrage. The deranged Kaphah, as before described, obstructs the internal vessels of the body, and thereby produces its general emaciation. In Jaundice, the face of the patient gets thinner, the scrotum and the muscles of the calves and abdomen are withered up, and the patient passes stool which is mixed with blood and mucous, and contains hosts of little intestinal worms.

An injudicious use of extremely Pitta-generating food by a Jaundice-patient is followed by an attack of Kamala (Chlorosis). The deranged and aggravated Pittam, in this disease, coming out of its seat in the abdominal cavity, scorches up the flesh and the blood. The urine, eyes, skin, face and feces of the patient assume a yellow colour, and thirst, and indigestion with a burning sensation in the body are found to supervene. The patient lies like a bloated toad, weak in all his limbs and organs. The unassimilated Pittam, in this disease, gives rise to a kind of general anasarca, which, being neglected, may run into a case of Kumbha Kamala. The undigested bile produces greenness of complexion, the deranged Vayu and Pittam give rise to vertigo and thirst, and a low fever with fondness for female company, somnolence, extreme lassitude, and impaired digestion are the symptoms which mark the premonitory stage of Hali mak.

I have already, told you, O Sustruta, that Sotha is one of the most dreadful diseases, now hear me discourse on the Nidanam of that disease. The deranged Vayu, by driving the deranged Kapham (phlegm), Pittam and blood to the external vessels of the body, make them incarcerated in the local skin and flesh, giving rise to a raised and compact swelling which is called a Sotha. The disease may be divided into nine different types according to the difference of the morbific principle acting as its exciting factor, inclusive of those which are of extraneous origin, or are caused by ardent sexual passion. The last named kinds of shotham extends all over the body. The swellings may be divided into three classes according as they are extended, raised and pointed, or knotty and concurrent in shape. The several actions of the deranged Vayu, Pittam and Kapham may be set down as the exciting causes of all forms of swellings, and they are often found to invade persons emaciated with disease, over work, or fasting. Ingestion of inordinate quantities of pot herbs, or of extremely cooling, saline, acid or alkaline articles of fare, drinking of large quantities of water, and excessive sleep or wakefulness may likewise serve to bring on an attack of shotha. Suppression of any natural urging of body, ingestion of dry meat, or of heavy and indigestible articles of fare, or excessive riding are the factors which tend to. obstruct the orfices of the vessels of the body, thus causing the appearance of an œdematous swelling about the locality of obstruction, dyspnœa, cough, dysentery, hæmorhoids, ascites, leucorrhœa, fever, tympanites, vomiting and hiccough may be manifest as supervening, distressing symptoms in a case of cedema. The morbific principles of the deranged Vayu, Pittam and Khpham, finding lodgment in in the upper, middle, or lower part of the body, or in the urinary bladder, may give rise to an œdematous swelling about the seat of their lodgment, while spreading all through the organism they may give rise to a general anasarca. An increased temperature of the body, heaviness of the limbs, and a kind of breaking, expanding pain in the veins are the symptoms which mark the premonitory stage of œdema.

In the Vataja (nervous) type of œdema, the swelling is found to be shifting in its character. It assumes a blackish or reddish colour, and is felt rough to the touch. The hairs about the base of the swelling become rough, and the patient complains of a breaking pain about the temporal bones or in the urinary bladder, pelvis and the intestimes (intestines?), and suffers badly from insominia (insomnia?). The swelling is speedy in its growth and even in its formation, and perceptibly yields to pressure, entirely disappearing after massage. After the application of a mustard plaster to it, a sort of tingling sensation is experienced inside the swelling, which increases in size during the night and markedly subsides during the day,

 

pp. 495-496 = MISSING

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