This section is from the book "The Sushruta Samhita", by Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna. Also available from Amazon: The Sushruta Samhita.
This disease may be ascribed to two causes, such as the congenital (Sahaja) and that attributable to the use of injudicious diet. The first type (Sahaja) is due to a defect in the seeds of one's parents and the second is originated from the use of unwholesome food. The symptoms, which mark the first of these two types, are emaciation and a dryness (of the body), diminished capacity of eating, too much thirst and restlessness; while the symptoms, which usually attend the latter type of the disease, are obesity, voracity, gloss of the body, increased soporific tendency and inclination for lounging in bed or on cushions. A case of emaciation, etc., (viz., the first kind of Prameha) should be remedied with nutritious food and drink, etc., whereas Apatarpana, etc., (fasting, physical exercise, depletory measures etc.), should be adopted in cases of obesity viz., the second kind of (Prameha). 2.
Forbidden Articles of Food & Drink:
- All patients suffering from Prameha should forego the use of (the different species of wine and fermented liquor known as) Sauviraka, Tushodaka, Sukta, Maireya, Sura, and Asava, water, oil, clarified butter, milk, any modification of the expressed juice of sugarcane, cakes, milk-curd, acid, Pánaka *, the flesh of domestic and aquatic animals and of those which frequent swamps or marshy places 3.
* Made of sugar, lemon-juice, or fermented rice-gruel boiled together.
The use of sufficiently old and matured, S'áli and Shashtika rice, barley, wheat, Kodrava, Uddálaka, with the different preparations of Chanaka, Adhaki, Kulattha or Mudga pulse is recommended; or the meal should be taken with the S'ákas (potherbs) of bitter or astringent taste cooked with the oils of Nikumbha, Ingudi, mustard or linseed oil; or with the soup of the lean flesh of Jángala animals which are possessed of anti-diuretic properties cooked without any clarified butter and unseasoned with any acid juice. 4.
The patient should be first anointed with any of the oils (of Nikum-bha, Ingudi, Sarshapa, Atasi, etc.); or with the medicated clarified butter * cooked with the drugs of the Priyangvádi group and should also be treated with strong emetics and purgatives †. After the application of purgatives, an Asthápana measure with a decoction of the drugs of the Surasádi group, mixed with honey and Sain-dhava salt and with the powders of S'unthi, Bhadradáru and Musta by way of an after-throw, should be resorted to. (On the eighth day) in a case attended with a burning sensation, a decoction of the Nyagrodhádi group without (i.e, mixed with a little quantity of) Sneha (oil or clarified butter) should be used (in the manner of an Asthápana).
After cleansing the system, the expressed juice ‡ of Amalaka mixed with Haridrá(powder) and honey should be administered. As an alternative, a decoction * of Triphalá, Vis'ála, Deva-dáru and Musta or an Aksha (two Tolá) measure of the Kalka (powders) † of S'ála, Kampillaka and Mushkaka (both of them) sweetened with honey and the expressed juice of Amalaka should be taken; or powders ‡ of the flowers of Kutaja,Kapittha, Rohita, Vibhitaka and Saptaparna (should be taken with honey, Haridrá and the expressed juice of Amalaka). or a decoction of the roots, leaves, barks, flowers and fruits of Nimba, Aragvadha, Saptaparna, Murvá, Kutaja, Soma-vriksha, Palás'a should be given to the patient. All cases of Meha are often found to yield to the use of any of these five medicinal preparations. 5.
* The patient should be anointed with the medicated clarified butter in a case of Piltaja-meha.
† Emetics in cases of Kaphaja-meha and purgatives in those of Pittaja-meha, should be applied.
‡This is also found in Chaiaka and has been quoted by Chakradatta in his compilation.
 
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