Procedure for giving the enema

The patient lies on his left side on a cot as high as the knee; the physician tells him to draw up his right leg and slowly introduce the ghee-smeared nozzle with his right hand into the ghee-smeared anus. With the nozzle in place, the bag is pressed steadily, without movement, in line with the spine. When the fluid is finished the nozzle is withdrawn quickly and the patient is made to squat, for one muhurta according to the commentary, so that the medicine comes out.

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Names and synonyms

Hindi: बस्तिदान क्रम
English: Procedure for giving the enema

Ingredients and preparation

RectalChapter 8 · p. 120 · v. 55-56

Ingredients

Ingredient	As written in the text	Quantity as written
Ghee (ghrita)घी (घृत)	घृत / धृत (पिचकारी और गुदा पर लगाने के लिए)	Not stated

Preparation as described

The patient lies on the left side on a knee-high cot, draws up the right leg, and the ghee-smeared nozzle is slowly introduced with the right hand into the anus made smooth with ghee.

घुटने के बराबर ऊँचे तरुत में वामपार्श्व को दबाते हुए(उसी करवट से) रोगी को सुलाकर उससे कहे कि अपने दाँये पैर को सिकोडकर, अपने दाहिने हाथ से धृत से लिप्त उस बस्ति (पिचकारी) को घृत से चिकना किए गए गुदा मंे, धीरे-धीरे प्रवेश कराअो।

How it is used

The bag is pressed steadily, without movement, with the nozzle in line with the spine; when the fluid is used up the nozzle is quickly withdrawn.

वंशस्थि (पीठ के बीच में जो गले से लेकर कमर तक रहने वाली हडुी) की अैर ¤ुकाकर निशचल रूप से पिचकारी को दबाना चाहिए। द्रव पदार्थ खत्म होने के बाद, उस बस्ति को शीघ्र ही हाथों-हाथ, गुदाद्वार से निकालना चाहिए।

Duration as written

squatting for one muhurta after the enema · एक मुहूर्त पयँत (उकरु बैठालना)

Therapies involvedEnema therapy (basti)बस्ति कर्म (एनिमा)Decoction enema (niruha basti)निरूह बस्ति

Organs mentionedAnus and rectumगुदा

प्रवेशय गुदं स्वदि़ाणकरेण नेत्रं शनै-। र्घृताक्रमुपसंहरन् स्वमुचितांघ्रिवामेतरम्॥Source wording as converted, Chapter 8 · p. 120 · v. 55-56.

Safety

Needs a trained practitioner. This procedure or preparation is of a kind that should only be carried out under qualified supervision.
Caution in the text: After the enema the patient is made to squat so that the medicine comes out.
Caution in the text: A footnote warns that if the niruha enema does not come out of the abdomen within one muhurta (two ghatikas) the patient may die, and quotes a line to that effect.

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, kidney or liver disease and other medicines all call for professional advice before any traditional remedy is used.