English
), and that their works mark the revival of the Hindu medical science which was contemporaneous with the revival of other sciences at this very period. Charaka's work is divided into eight books, which are enumerated below. (1; SAtra Sthdna> explaining the origin of medicine, the duty of the physician, the use of medicine, the cure of disease, materia medica, diet, &c. (2) Niddna Sthdna, containing a description of dis- eases as fever, discharges of blood, tumours, diabetes, leprosy, consumption, mania and epilepsy. (3) Vim&na StJi&na, treating of epidemics, the nature of food, the symptoms and diagnosis of disease, the use of medicines, and the peculiarities of the fluids of the body. (4) Sarira Sth&na, treating of the nature of the soul, conception, the varieties of species, the qualities of elements, a description of the body and the connexion of the body and soul. (5) Indriya Sthdna, describing the organs of sense and their diseases, the colour of the body, defects of speech, * Royle, p, 37, Digitized by Google 3 gg PAURANIK PERIOD. [BOOK V- diseases of the body and of organs, loss of strength and death. (6) Chikitsd Sth&na, considering the treatment of disease and the means of improving the health and enjoying long life. It also treats of fever, dropsy, swel- ling, piles, diarrhoea, jaundice, asthma, cough, dysentery, vomiting, erysipelas, thirst, and the effects of poisons. It speaks of remedying the effects of drinking, of inflam- mation, diseases of vital parts, abscesses, rheumatism and paralysis. (7) Kalpa Sth&na, treating of emetics and purgatives, and of antidotes and medical charms. (8) Siddhi Sth&na, treating of evacuating medicines, of injections for the urethra, vagina and rectum, of abscesses, of the use of clysters, of the vital parts, &c. The whole work is in the form of instruction imparted by the Rishi Atreya to Agnivasa. We are told in the introduction that Brahma first imparted the Ayurveda to Prajapati, that Prajapati imparted it to the two Asvins, and the Asvins imparted it to Indra. Bharad- vaja learnt it from Indra, and imparted it to six Rishis, of whom Agnivasa was one. Susruta is probably a later work than Charaka, and a similar story is told that Indra imparted the know- ledge to Dhanvantari, the medical practitioner of the gods, and Dhanvantari imparted it to eight Rishis among whom Susruta was chosen to record the instruc- tions correctly. Digitized by Google CHAP. X.] MEDICINE. 3^9 The divisions of Siisruta's work are very similar to those of Charaka. Charaka, however, treats mainly of medicines, while Susruta treats mainly of surgery in his six divisions, which are enumerated below. (1 ) S&tra St/idna treats of medicines, of the elements of the body and various forms of disease, of the selec- tion of surgical instruments and medicines, and of the practice to be followed after surgical operations. Then follows the description of the humours and the surgical diseases, the removal of extraneous substances, and the treatment of wounds and ulcers. Various other matters are touched upon. (2) Niddna Sthdna treats of the symptoms and diag- noses of diseases. The causes of rheumatism, piles, stone, fistula in ano, leprosy, diabetes, and ascites are spoken of. The symptoms of unnatural presentations in midwifery, internal abscesses, erysipelas, scrofula, hydrocele, and diseases of the organs of generation and of the mouth are considered. (3) Sdrdra Sthdna or anatomy treats of the structure of the body. The soul and the elementary parts of the body, puberty, conception, and growth of the body are considered. Bleeding and the treatment of pregnancy and of infants are also considered. (4) Chikit8d Sthdna describes the symptoms and treat- ment of diseases, wounds, ulcers, inflammations, fractures, rheumatism, piles, stone, fistula in ano, leprosy, diabetes, and dropsy. The manner of extracting the child from 390 PAURANIK PERIOD. [BOOK V. the uterus in unusual positions and other matters are described. The use of clysters, of errhines and of the smoke of medicinal substances is also described. (5) Kalpa Sth&na speaks of antidotes. The means of preparing and preserving food and drink, and of distin- guishing poisoned food are explained, and the different mineral vegetable and animal poisons and their antidotes are explained. (6) Uttara Sth&na or supplemental section treats of various local diseases like those of the eye, ear, nose and head. The treatment of various other diseases like fever, dysentery-, consumption, tumours, diseases of the heart, jaundice, discharges of blood, fainting, intoxication, cough, hiccough, asthma, hoarseness of voice, worms, stertorous vomiting, cholera, dyspepsia, dysuria, mad- ness, demoniacal possession, epilepsy and apoplexy are described. The above brief enumeration of the contents of Cha- raka and Susrutawill indicate the progress of the Hindu medical science and the nature of the diseases which engaged the attention of Hindu physicians in ancient days. Many of the ancient theories are of course now shewn to be fanciful, and many of the views then held are now shewn to be mistaken. But nevertheless the exhaustive treatment of diseases in medical works composed thirteen centuries ago shews the progress of the science in Ancient India. And the medicines and preparations prescribed in these works are equally digitized by Google CHAP. X.] MEDICINE. 391 numerous and varied. It is not our intention to give anything like a complete account of the Hindu sys- tem of medicine and treatment of diseases ; we will only here mention a few of the medicinal preparations and surgical instruments which were known to the ancient Hindus. The Hindus were early familiar with Rasdyana, i. e. t chemistry, and with the preparation of various chemical compounds. Nor is this surprising as the materials for preparing many chemical products have abounded in India. Rocksalt was found in Western India ; borax was obtained from Thibet ; saltpetre and sulphate of soda were easily made ; alum was made in Cutch ; and sal ammonia was familiar to the Hindus; with lime, charcoal and sulphur they were acquainted from times imme- morial. The alkalies and acids were early known to the Hindus, and were borrowed from them by the Arabians ; and Dr. Royle describes* the Hindu way of preparing muriatic acid. The medicinal use of metals was also largely known.f We have notices of antimony and of arsenic, of medicines prepared with quicksilver, arsenic, and nine other metals. The Hindus were acquainted with the oxides of copper, iron, lead, tin, zinc, and lead ; with the sulphurets of iron, copper, antimony, mercury, and arsenic ; with the sulphates of copper, zinc, and iron ; with the diacetate of copper and the carbonates of * Dr. Royle's Essay, p. 43. f f Ibid. % p. 44, Digitized 392 PAURANIK PERIOD. [BOOK V. lead and iron. " Though the ancient Greeks and Romans used many metallic substances as external applications, it is generally supposed that the Arabs were the first to prescribe them internally. • * But in the works of Charak and Susruta, to which, as has been proved the earliest of the Arabs had access, we find numerous metallic substances directed to be given internally." * From positive directions respecting the formation of several substances it is clear that the ancient Hindus were familiar with several chemical processes, as solution, evaporation, calcination, sublimation, and distillation. Turning now to the subject of drugs and plants, wc find that Susruta arranges them under the following heads : — tuberous and bulbous roots ; roots ; bark of roots ; bark of large trees ; trees possessing a peculiar smell ; leaves; flowers ; fruits ; seeds ; acrid and astrin- gent vegetables ; milky plants ; gums and resins. Susruta probably contains the earliest notice respecting botanical geography, mentioning the sites and climates where the plants grow. He also prescribes the weights and measures to be used, and gives directions for expressing juice from fresh vegetables, making powder of well-dried plants, and preparing infusions and decoc- tions of various kinds. The vegetable resources of India are practically unlimited, and it is needless to • Dr. Roylc's Essay, p. 45. Digitized by Google CHAP. X.] MEDICINE. 393 add that Hindu physicians were acquainted with a vast variety of vegetable medicines. Most of them are assuaging and depuratory medicines, suited to the cli- mate of the country and the unexcitable constitution of the nation. For sudden and severe cases there were drastic and mild purgatives, emetics, diaphoretics, and baths ; while acrid poisons were used with arsenic and mercurial preparations, as well as stimulants, sedatives, and narcotics. Dr. H. H.Wilson makes a valuable remark that the compounds prescribed become more and more extravagant in proportion as the work prescribing it is more modern. A similar remark could be made of poetry and sculpture too, — and of all the later manifes- tations of the Hindu mind ! Turning now to the subject of surgery, it will, no doubt, excite surprise (says Royle) H to find among the opera- tions of those ancient surgeons those of lithotomy and the extraction of the foetus ex utero ; and that no less than 127 surgical instruments are described in their works." Surgery was divided into Chhedana, scission ; Bhedana, excison ; Lekhana, scarification and inocula- tion ; VyAdhana, puncturing ; Bshyam probing ; Aharya, extraction of solid bodies; Visravana> extraction of fluids; and Sevana, sewing. These various operations were per- formed by a large variety of surgical instruments which Dr.