152 - Diseases

Dhanvantari said:

1. Now I shall explain the pathology of Yakshma roga (pulmonary consumption). It is a sequel to many ailments and precursor to many others. 

2. It is mentioned by many terms Rajayakshma (King Consumption), Kshaya (Consumption), Shosha (withering up), Rogarat (king of ailments). Stars, Moon, brahmins and kings were supposed to have suffered from this formerly. Hence it is called Rajayakshma. 

3. It is called Kshaya (wasting disease) because the body is wasted, medicine is wasted (ineffective), and it is the culmination of Kshaya (consumption). It is called Shosha because it dries up the lymph and other secretions of the system. It is called Rogarat because it is the king of all ailments. 

4. There are four main causes for this: (1) Sahasa, Rash feats of strength and overexercise, (2) Vegasamrodha, suppression of natural propulsions of the body such as passing of urine, evacuating the bowels, etc., (3) Shukrajah snehasamkshayah, wasting of semen, vitality and albuminous substances in the body, (4) Annapanavidhityaga (abandonment of the rules of diet and regimen. 

5-6. The principle of Vayu gets aggravated by the causes mentioned before, scatters pitta and useless accumulations in the body, kapha, etc, and permeates the ducts, channels and joints of the body. Then it affects the nerves either by closing the openings of the ducts or dilating them too much. It then produces great pain in the cardiac region in the middle, above, below or at the sides. 

7. Many indications of its onset can be observed. Cold, high rise in temperature, salivation, sweet taste in the mouth, glossiness of the body and loss of appetite. 

8. An eager desire to walk and take food and drink. The patient finds impurity even in clean things. He supposes that a fly, a blade of grass, a bit of hair, etc. has fallen in his dish or cup. 

9. Hiccough and disquietude, vomiting, non-relish of food, weakening even without bath. 

10. A bright white colour in the hands, thighs, chest, feet, face, stomach and the eyes. A shooting pain in the arms and the tongue, a feeling of abhorrence over the body. 

11. A liking for women, wine and meat and an unreasonable disgust immediately and giddiness. 

12. The nails, hair and bones grow rapidly. The patient dreams of the attack or fall of chameleon, serpent, monkey and birds and beasts of prey. 

13. He sees in dreams that he climbs or steps on hair, bones, husks, ashes, etc. He sees deserted villages, ponds and tanks drying up brilliant comets and stars in the sky or forest fire with burning trees. 

14-15. There are eleven specific symptoms in the pulmonary consumption Chatarrh, dyspnea, cough, loss of voice, headache, nonrelish for food, updrawn breath, emaciation, vomiting, fever and pain (in the viscera, while standing, at the sides, while getting up from bed, and at the joints. 

16. The distressing features are a breaking pain at the throat, yawning, severe pressure felt in the limbs, spitting out (bloody mucous substances), impaired gastric functions and foul smell in the mouth. 

17-18. Due to the aggravation of Vayu, there is pain in the head and sides with a severe pressure of limbs. Constriction of the throat and aphonia are also due to the Vayu. The aggravated pitta causes a burning sensation int he shoulders, hands, and feet, dysentery, vomiting of blood, foul smell in the mouth, fever and inebriety. The excited kapha produces non-relish of food, vomiting, cough and a sense of heaviness in one half of the body. 

19-20. Watery discharge from the lips, cold, dyspnea, aphonia and impaired gastric function are also due to kapha. As a result of impaired digestion, the humours are further excited and anasarcha (Shotha and a clammy coating of kapha shuts up the openings of the ducts. Further production of the dhatus ceases and the burning sensation increases bringing mental anguish. There are other distressing features also. 

21. The food taken in by phthisis patient undergoes acidity in the stomach along with the lymph and other secretions), hence the diet does not nourish his limbs. 

22. The lymph does not generate blood in him, although some flesh is put. In this benumbed state he remains emaciated. 

23. Even if all the symptoms are not present, an emaciated person with his six sense organs impaired must be given up as incurable; but if the person is otherwise (i.e., not emaciated) he can be cured. 

24. Due to the several and combined actions of the deranged humours the fat becomes wasted and aphonia sets in. The voice becomes feeble, coarse and tremulous. 

25. The deranged Vayu makes the body lose its glossiness and warmth as well as produces a colour like that of an awn of barley in the throat. Due to Pitta there is burning sensation in the throat and palate. 

26. Due to Kapha there is a peculiar wheezing sound in the throat and it seems as if there is some sticky mucuous substance there. The consumption starts with all the symptoms. 

27. Vertigo and darkness of vision and other characteristics of kapha also are present. The patients are incurable and even if only a few symptoms are present the emaciated patient shall be avoided.