The term fever may be defined as a condition of the body characterized by increase in temperature, but this term has a very wide application as fever is one of the most common accompaniments of diseases in general.
According to the modern classification the fevers are of the following 25 types: (1) Influenza ; (2) pneumonia; (3) typhoid; (4) cerebro-spinal fever; (5) plague; (6) diphtheria; (7) dengue fever; (8) sand fly fever; (9) yellow fever; (10) mumps; (11) rheumatic fever; (12) heat exhaustion and heat stroke; (13) small pox and chicken pox; (14) erysipelas; (15) measles; (16) hectic fever; (17) fever at the various stages and types of tuberculosis; (18) fever of dysentery; (19) malaria; cerebral malaria; (20) black water fever; (21) kala-azar; (22) relapsing fever; (23) Malta fever; (24) rat bite fever; and (25) filarial.
In the case of common fever, where there are no side complications , or in fevers which are not due to any specific causes, the following Ayurvedic medicines are very helpful to discord them.
The Tulsi plant and its tender leaves are a specific for many types of fevers. During the rainy season when Malaria and Dengue fevers are common, some tender leaves of the plant boiled with one’s daily tea would act are preventive against fever.
In the case of acute fever of unknown or unspecified origin, a decoction made of about 12 gms. of Tulsi leaves, boiled with half a little of water, should be administrated with milk, sugar and powdered cardamom to bring down the temperature.
Powder of the root of the horse-radish tree (shigru) is another remedy for common fever in their preliminary stage.
Powder of Indrani leaves is also efficacious in these fevers. If the patient is constipated, costiveness must also be dealt with: Jwarakesari (one tablet) should be taken at night.
The following two prescriptions should deal with any ordinary case of fever:
Mrityunjaya - 120 mg.
Godanti Bhasma - 120 mg.
Pippali Churna - 240 mg.
To be taken thrice daily with warm water, milk or decoction of Tulsi leaves.
Tribhuvanakirti Rasa - 120 mg.
Abhraka Bhasma - 120 mg.
Amritasatva - 240 mg.
To be taken thrice daily with warm water, juice of fresh ginger or honey.
If the fever is acute, i.e., if there is shivering, dryness of the throat and intense thirst, pain in the region of the chest or joints of the body, the following medicines will help.
Kirtatiktadi Quath - 50 ml.
In the morning with the medicine indicated above.
Hinguleshwara - 120 mg.
Godanti Bhasma - 120 mg.
Powder of the black cumin seeds
roasted over a hot plate - 500 mg.
To be taken thrice daily with warm water.
In case, there is diarrhea present, along with vomiting,. Intense thirst, insomnia, profuse sweating and signs of delirium or disorientation or even fainting fits, the following prescription would be more effective.
Sarvatobhadra Rasa - 250 mg.
Golanti Bhasma - 120 mg.
Amritasava - 240 mg.
To be taken 3 times in a day with warm water.
When fever strikes, the patient should not be permitted to sleep during a day, bathe, cat, or sexual intercourse, going out in the open where the wind blow strongly, taking exercise and eating of sour substances should also be prohibited.
