Madhya-Visha Scorpions

Scorpions of the Madhya-visha (mild-poisoned) class are red (Rakta) or yellow (Pita), or tawny (Kapila). All of them are ash-coloured in their belly and provided with three joints or links. They germinate from the stool, excreta, eggs and putrid carcases of the three (aforesaid) groups of snakes and respectively partake of the nature of the serpent whose fecal matter, etc. they originate from. A bite by a scorpion of this species is accompanied by a swelling of the tongue, an incapacity of deglutition and violent epileptic fits. 40.

* According to Gayadása the total number of the three classes of scorpions would be twenty-seven, of which the first (mild-poisoned) class consists of eleven, the second consists of three and the third of thirteen.

† In place of "white, red and whitish red" some read "white, red and little red" (Arakta)," while others make it "white in the abdomen (S'vetodara), red and white."

Tikshna-Visha Scorpions

The keen-poisoned (Tikshna-visha) scorpions are either white or parti-coloured (Chitra) or blackish (S'yámala) or reddish white (Rakta-s'veta) or red-bellied or blue-bellied or reddish or bluish yellow or reddish blue or bluish white; others are reddish brown and are (further divided into four classes), viz. three-jointed (like those of the previous class) or one-jointed or two-jointed or jointless. The poison of this group of scorpions, varying in colour and shape, is extremely dreadful and should be regarded as the veritable robber of vitality. They germinate from the putrified dead body of a snake or any poisoned animal. A bite by a member of any of these families produces those physiological transformations in the body of its victims which mark the different stages of a snake-bite, and gives rise to pustular eruptions (Sphota) on the skin accompanied by vertigo, a burning sensation (in the body), fever and excessive discharge of black-coloured blood from the channels (mouth and nostrils, etc.). And hence their bite proves so rapidly fatal. 41.

Treatment Of Scorpion-Bites

A bite by a scorpion of the middle-venomed or strong-venomed class should be treated as a case of snakebite to all intents and purposes. In a case of a bite by a mild-venomed one, the affected seat should be sprinkled over with the Chakra-Taila or with a tepid oil duly cooked with the drugs of the Vidáryádi group. The affected locality should be (repeatedly) fomented with the application of poultices in the Utkárika form prepared with anti-venomous drugs (S'irisha, etc.). The seat of the bite should then be marked with superficial incisions (scratches) and should be gently rubbed (Prati-sarana) with powders of Haridrá, Saindhava, Trikatu and the fruit and flower of S'irisha. The tender leaves of Surasá pasted with the juice of Mátu-lunga and the urine of a cow in a lukewarm state, or lukewarm (i.e., fresh) cow-dung should be employed in plastering and fomenting the affected part. Potions of clarified butter mixed with honey, milk mixed with a profuse quantity of sugar and honey, treacle mixed with cold water and perfumed with Chatur-játaka, or cold milk mixed with treacle should be recommended as drinks. Fumigation (Dhupana) with the compound made of the feathers of the tail of a cock or a peacock, Saindhava, oil and clarified butter pasted together and burnt is a speedy destroyer of scorpion-poison. As an alternative, the fumes (Dhuma) of a compound made up of Kusumbha flower, the two kinds of Rajani and Kodrava straw mixed with clarified butter applied to the region of the arms speedily destroys the poison of a venomous insect in general and of a scorpion in particular. 42.