History of Medicine -India :1

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predecessors but is important in understanding the advances

that are now taking  place in theory and practice of medicine.

Prehistoric Medicine:

The "art of healing" began thousands of years ago with the

innovations of the primitive man trying to provide relief to

those close to him, in sickness and suffering, motivated by

feelings of sympathy and kindness. In the absence of an

obvious explanation, his limited intelligence attributed

disease and other calamities to the anger of God, the invasion

of the body by evil spirits or the influence of stars and planets.

As a logical sequence, the medicine he practised consisted in

appeasing God by prayers and rituals and sacrifices,

driving out evil spirits from the human body.

There is also evidence that prehistoric man improvised stone

and flint instruments with which he performed circumcisions,

amputations and trephining of skulls.

It is thus obvious that medicine in the prehistoric era (5000BC)  

was intermingled with superstition, religion, magic and

witchcraft.

Elements of  prehistoric medicine are still present in many

countries.

Primitive man may be extinct, but  "the supernatural theory of

disease"  in which he believed is not yet extinct in our modern

society.

Indian Medicine:

Hindu medicine is as ancient as Hindu Civilisation.

Ayurveda by definition implies "The Science of Life".

(Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word derived from two roots:

ayur, which means life, and veda, knowledge.)

Its origin is traced back to the Vedic times about 5000BC.

Ayurveda is a part of the Atharva Veda  which solely

deals with medicine.

Atharva Veda includes eight divisions of Ayurveda:

1. Kayachikitsa (Internal Medicine)

2. Salakya Tantra (Surgery of Head & neck, Ophthalmology and

Otolaryngology).

3. Shalya Tantra (Surgery)

4. Agada Tantra (Toxicology)

5. Bhuta Vidya (Psychiatry)

6. Kaumarabhrity (Pediatric)

7. Rasayana (Anti-aging or Gerontology or Science of

Rejuvenation) and

8. Vajkarana (The Science of Fertility)

The Vedic Sages took passages from Atharva Veda and

created  separate books dealing exclusively with Ayurveda.

Atreya Samhita is the oldest medical book in the world.

Atreya was the son of Rishi Atri. Atri was the son of god Brahma

and one of the seven immortal Rishis in Vedic literature.

Rishi Atri was Acharya (Teacher) of Ayurveda.

The Vedic Brahmanas were priests  who performed

religious rites and ceremonies. They were also considered as

Vaidyas (Physicians of Ayurveda).

These sage physicians were the surgeons in the ancient days.

These deeply devoted holy physicians considered health

to be an important part of spiritual life.

It is believed that the Vaidyas received their training of

Ayurveda during meditation which were later transcribed

into book form.

Beginning of Medicine and Surgery in India is thought as

the gifts from god Indra to Sages Bharadwaja , the patron

saint of medicine and Dhanvantari, the patron saint of

Surgery. 

These two main schools made Ayurveda a more scientifically

verifiable medical system (around 1500BC).

These two scholar passed their knowledge to two worthy men

Atreya and Susruta.

Both Atreya and Susruta practised around 600BC, nearly 150

years before Hippocrates.

A high quality of Medical Knowledge was prevalent in ancient India. The present day Archaeological evidences of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa imparts the high civilization in matters of sanitation and hygiene. An analysis of the material in the Vedas reveals that, all the four Vedas replete the references regarding various aspects of medicine. The Atharva Veda is deemed to be an encyclopaedia for medicine "Interalia", and Ayurveda (the science of life) is considered as Upa Veda (supplementary subject) of the Atharva Veda. A few glimpses of medical Science as prevalent in the ancient India have been presented here.

Influence of religious belief on Mongolian medicine.Zhonghua Yi Shi Za Zhi. 1999 Apr;29(2):92-5.

Religious belief exerts certain influence on early development of Mongolian medicine. Up to early 20th century, some aspects of Mongolian medicine, including diagnostic methods and therapeutic remedies were all dyed with religion. Hence, the study of Mongolian medical history involves culture, philosophy and religious belief, especially culture in its broad sense, and micro - religion, such as the witchery culture of remote ancient time, totem in primitive religion and all kinds of worshipping and beliefs.

Traditional medicine in ancient Greece (coexistence of Asclepian art and Hippocratic medicine).Przegl Lek. 1995;52 (12):612-4

Ancient Greece created two types of medicine: priestly-religious one with god Asclepios and temple treatment and other rational one, formed by Hippocrates. Both coexisting types of medicine represented two non-antagonistic alternatives of treatment for the patients. In spite of differences between both kinds of ancient Greek medicine we have no evidence either of a collaboration between Asclepian priests and Hippocratic physicians, or of any mutual misunderstanding or hostility, Asclepios followers respected the tradition, believed in the divine descent of their profession, but remained loyal to the Hippocratic Oath. The fact, that when the rational medicine did not help the patient, he searched his healing in religious or other alternative type of medicine, happens often even in contemporary times.