By which three means is the patient examined, and what is learned by touch?

Detailed answer

Verses 52-53 tell the physician to learn the strength of the disease and whether it is curable by seeing, touching and questioning before treating. By touch (verse 54) he judges heat, cold, hardness, softness, oiliness, dryness, lightness, heaviness and clarity of the body affected by the doshas, the commentary adding the movement of the pulse. By questions (verse 55) he learns the patient's region, family, natural state, digestive fire, the force of the disease, strength, desired food, stool and urine and what suits him. By sight (verse 56) he reads shade, form, marks, signs and temperament to judge whether life span is declining or growing.