Chapter CLXXVI - The Nidanam of diseases peculiar to peculiar to infant life

Now hear me, O Sushruta, discourse on the Nidanam of diseases, peculiar to infant-life. A child sucking its mother’s milk, vitiated by the deranged Vayu, suffers from diseases of the deranged Vayu, hoarseness, emaciation, and suppression of the stool, urine and flatus being its chief characteristics. A child sucking milk, vitiated by the deranged Pittam, suffers from Pittaja affections, of which loose motions of the bowels, chlorosis, thirst, heat in the body and perspiration form the principal symptoms. A child sucking breast-milk vitiated by the deranged Kaphah suffers from diseases of the deranged Kaphah, and salivation (water brash) somnolence, running at the nose, flow of tears, vomiting of undigested breast-milk etc., form its main features. Diseases of infants, brought about through the agency of any two of the morbific principles of Vayu, Pittam, etc., exhibit symptoms which are peculiar to each of them. In the Sannipatika forms of diseases of infant life, the symptoms of all the Vataja, Pittaja and Kaphaja types become manifest in unison. The intensity of pain in the body of a child should be inferred from the pitch of its cry-sound. The use of bad breast-milk produces a kind of itching sensation in the eye-lids of infants which is called Kakunaka. Profuse tears run down from the eyes, and the child constantly rubs its forehead, nose and eyes, and becomes incapable of looking at the sun, or of opening its eyelids. Through the use of breast-milk of pregnant mothers infants are found to suffer from a peculiar form of indigestion (lit, impaired digestion) attended with cough, vomiting, somnolence, vertigo, and bloatedness of the abdomen with a nonrelish for food which is called Paribhava. The deranged and aggravated Kaphah, by lying incarcerated(:?) about the root of the palate, produces a kind of disease in infants which is called Talu-Kantaka. The part of the head parallel to the roof of the palate is found to sink in this disease, the roof of the palate looks as if it hangs down, and the child refuses to be weaned at the breast. Deglutition becomes painful, the neck of the child droops down, and belching of milk, loose motions of the bowels, thirst, and pain in the mouth, throat and the eyes, are the symptoms which are found to supervene. A kind of Erysipelas, resembling the petals of red lotus in shape, are found to appear on the scalps, or about the pelves of infants which invariably finds a fatal termination. The Erysipelatous patches are either found to descend from the head to the breast by the way of the temples, or to ascend from the pelvis to the head by the region of the breast. Symptoms of fever etc. affecting infants are identical with those described before under their respective heads. In addition to these, several diseases of supernatural origin, such as Skandapsmara, shakunigraha, etc., are found to afflict infants. In the form known as Skanda-Graha, either the right or the left eye of an infant becomes full of tears, perspiration becomes profuse, the child shakes more or less as in palsy, the eyes look upward, the face is contorted, a kind of bloody smell is emitted from its body, and the child gnashes its teeth, or looks terrified, or cries a little and refuses to take at the breast.

In the disease known as Skandapasmara, the child vomits frothy matter in an unconscious state, or writhes about in convulsive fits. Roused from swoon it cries and refuses to be consoled, and a peculiar smell, blended of those of blood and pus, is perceived to be emitted from its body. In the disease known as shakunigraha, the affected child suffers from looseness of the joints and a gone feeling in the limbs, and rouses up terrified. An odour like that which is perceived in the body of a bird is exhaled from its limbs, which become covered over with patches of secreting ulcers, and crops of belbous eruptions, attended with suppuration and a burning sensation, are found to appear on its body. In the disease known as Revati-graha, the body of the affected child becomes covered over with ulcers or belbs, which are found to readily bleed. The body of the child emits a pecular miry odour, and fever with loose motions of the bowels and a burning sensation in the body is likewise found to supervene. In the disease named as Putana-graha the affected child suffers from fever and dysentery, the eyes are directed obliquely upward, and the child looks agitated and refuses to be lulled down to sleep. In the disease called Andhaputana, the affected child suffers from vomiting, dysentery, fever, thirst, cough, and a disinclination to take the breast. The cries become extremely pitious and a smell like that of clotted blood is emitted from its body. In the disease known as shita Putana, the child coughs and shakes, emaciation of the body, vomiting, dysentery, and running at the eyes being its further characteristics. In the disease named as Naigameya Graha, the affected child violently gnashes its teeth with its eyes turned upward, and vomiting, rigour, dryness of the throat and mouth, and epileptic fits are the symptoms which are found to supervene. In the disease known as Mukha-Mandalika-Graha, the complexion of the affected child becomes bright and clear, and large veins are found to appear on its body, which emits a smell like urine. The child craves for more and more food in this disease.