Chapter CLXXV - The Nidanam, of diseases peculiar to parturient women

Now hear me, O Sushruta, discourse on the Nidanam of diseases of parturient women (Sutika Roga)

The enraged and aggravated bodily Vayu, by arresting the flow of uterine blood in a parturient woman, produces a peculiar kind of aching pain in her pelvic and cardiac regions, as well as in the region of her head, which is called Makallam. An aching pain in the limbs, fever with shivering, thirst and a sensation of heaviness in the limbs, œdematous swellings of the limbs, diarrhœa and colic are the symptoms which mark a case of Sutika-roga. Inadequate food, want of proper rest and physical comforts, irregular diet, and indigestion serve to bring in a host of diseases in parturient women, of which the following are usually met with (in practice) viz., Fever, dysentery, œdema, colic, constipation of the bowels, weakness, somnolence with a non-relish for food, water-brash and diseases that originate through the interference of the deranged Vayu and Kaphah. These diseases occurring in weak and emaciated women after parturition, as well their supervening symptoms are extremely hard to cure.

I shall now describe, O child, the diseases of mammary glands. The morbific principles of the deranged Vayu, Pittam and Kaphah, by affecting the mammae, whether charged with milk or otherwise, vitiate the flesh and blood of the breast. Five different kinds of mammary diseases are known in addition to the one named Raktaja Vidradhi, whose symptoms are quite in common with those of an external abscess. Bad or indigestible food in parturient women, by enraging the morbific principles of their breasts, tends to vitiate their breast milk, which forms the source of many diseases in their children. Breast-milk, vitiated by the deranged Vayu, becomes thin and watery and acquires an astringent flavour; that vitiated by the deranged Pittam tastes either pungent, acid or saline, while that vitiated by the deranged Kaphah is thick and slimy and sinks in water when thrown into it. Good breast-milk speedily mixes with water, is colourless, and has a sweet taste. The use of such breast-milk alone is recommended.