Susruta Samhita - Mandhata Global

CHAPTER X.
Now we shall discourse on the medical treatment
of major cutaneous affections (IVIaha-KuShtha).* I.
lYletrical Text : —An intelligent physician
should have recourse to the folh-wing medicinal com-
pounds in virulent types of Kushtha, urinary com-
plaints (Meha), di eases due to the action of the de-
ranged and aggravated Kapha and general oedima of
the body and also in respect of inordinately corpulent
persons wishing to reduce their obesity. 2.
IVIantha-KalpaS : -Pounded barley-corn
should be saturated with the urine of a cow and kept in
a large bamboo basket (Kilinja) for the whole night ; and
should then b^ dried in the sun on the following day.
This process should be continued for seven consecutive
days. At the close of this period it should be fried in an
earthen vessel (Kapdla) and then ground to fine powder
(Saktu). The powder, thus prepared should be given
every morning to a person afflicted with Kushtha
(leprosy\ or any urinary complaint (Prameha) through
the medium of a decoction of the drugs included
within the S'd/asdrddz group, or of the Kantaki (thorny) -}*
trees, and mixsd with a pulverised compound of Bhalld-
taka, Prapunjidda, Avalguja, Arka, Chitraka, Vidar.ga
and Musta weighing a fourth part of the S'aktu. Barley-
corn should, in the same manner, be soaked in a
* Kushtha which affec's the deeper tissues and fundamental principles
of the body is called Maha-Kushiha.
Gayi interprets the term " M iha-Kushlha " as signifying those seven
types of Kushtha which cannot be attributed to any detectable cause,
t Vadara, Khadira, Arimeda, Snuhi, etg.