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184
A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
of medicines without resorting to the former process. The act of expelling through the lower channel was called virecana (purgation). 1
Various other processes like medicated baths (snāna) or cleansing a particular portion of the body (uccholaņa), massaging the body with oil (abbhanga), drinking ghee or oil for getting a clear complexion and strength (tappana) 2 etc. were also resorted to. Rasayana (the science of elixirs) was a distinct branch of Medicine which aimed at retaining the perpetual youth by arresting the body of old age and senile decay with the help of proper medicines." Nasal therapy ( nattha ) was administered to cleanse the nasal passages. Caraka also administers nasal therapy (nasta) in diseases of head, as nose was the gateway to the head. An application of anema (vatthi-kamma), especially oil anema (meha-vatthi), was enjoined for cleansing the body of various doșas, especially for the diseases like piles or gastic trouble. A physician had to be very careful in prescribing the quantity of such drugs, as excess of emises or purgation could even result in the death of the patient."
The samsamaņa way of treatment aimed at curing a disease
1. Et Alquilazeit-NC. 3, p. 392; 37:ituri fataCaraka, Kalfasthāna,
1. 4. -2. 2017 TOPATI Palaute TT acqui-NC. 3, p. 392. Sce also-Vipākasūtra,
p. 65. 3. qarTO TTHÙNG OF THPTO-NC. 3, p. 392. For the importance of
Rasāyana and the way of administering drugs for the same see Susruta, Cikitsasthāna, XXVII, 1-4, 1-Tsing also mentions Rasāyana as one of the eight branches of Medical Science.Takakusu, op. cit.,
Pp. 127-28, also pp. 222-23. 4. OPATTATE CTITOITETUIERİ OF TOP opei--NC. 3, p. 392. 5. Caraka, Siddhasthāna, 9. 88 ( Vol. 4, p. 2311 ). 6. कडिवायअरिसविणासणत्थं च अपागद्दारेण वत्थिणा तेल्लादिप्पदाणं वत्थिकम्मं ।
-NC. 3, p. 392; cf. Susruta, Cikitsästhāna, XXXV. 3 (Vol. 2, p. 590). 7. stala CHO TH7, fara total H NC. 3, p. 393.
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