The history of medicine in India goes back through the centuries to about 3000 BC.

The beginnings are shrouded in the mist of ancient myths. The experience and concern in health development date back to Vedic period between 3000 BC 1400 BC. The Indus Valley Civilization showed relics of planned cities and practice of environmental sanitation. According to Dr. Wheeler on the basis of his research studies from South Arikadedu(Pondicherry) to North Mohenjodaro and Harappa only one culture had been followed. An ideal healthful living of the people, such as every house of Mohenjodaro and Harppa had separate good water supply. In every back ground of the houses, there was wide royal street and by the side of the stret there was an arrangement of the some drinking water. Actually, this was followed by Dravidians who lived at that time. After the invasion of Aryans, the Dravidian got relegated to south. The specialist of pictograph reader, FATHER HERAS says that it was fact that ancient people of Mohenjodaro were proto Dravidians, a fact also hinted by Sir, John Marshall that there was a link between all that is the Dravidians cutlture, including Mohenjodaro and Karnataka. The Ayurveda and other system of medicine practiced during this time suggest the development of comprehensive concept of health by the ancient sages of India. TRADITIONL MEDICINE AND SURGERY IN INDIA. Indian medicine is ancient. Its earliest concepts are set out in the sacred writing called the Vedas, especially in the metrical passages of the Atharvaved, which may possibly dates as far back as the second millennium BC. According to a later writer, the system of medicine called Ayruved was received by a certain Dhanvantari from Brahma, and Dhanvantari was defined as the god of medicine. In later times, his status was gradually reduced, undtil hew credited with having been an early king who died of snake bite. Legends tell of Dhanvantaris relations with snakes and illustrates the skill with which early Indian practitioners treated snakebite. The Period of Vedic medicine lasted until about 800 BC. The Vedas are reich in magical practices for the treatment of diseases and charms for the expulsion of the deons traditionally supposed to cause diseases. The chief conditions mentioned are fever, cough, consumption, diarrhea, dropsy, abscesses, siezers, tumors and skin disease (including leprosy). The herbs recommended for threatment of numerous conditions. GOLDEN PERIOD OF INDIAN MEDICINE: The golden period of Indian medicine, from 800 BC until about A|D 1000 may be termed the Brahmanistic period. It is marked especially by production of the medical treaties respectively as the CHARAK SAMHITA and SUSHRUTA SAMHITA, attributed respectively to the physician Charaka and Susruta, traditionally a surgeon. Both this works were formerly regarded as being of great antiquity, and hence claims arouse for the priority of Indian scientific medicine over its Greet counterpart. Another school asserted that these works were written many centuries after the beginning of the Christian era. The most recent estimates place the CHARAKA SAMHITA probably originated in the last centuries of the pre Christian era and became fixed in its present form in the 7th century AD at the latest. Other medical treaties of lesser importance are those attributed to vagbhata (C.8th Century). All later treatises were based on these works. Because the Hindus were prohibited by their religion form cutting the dead body, their knowledge of anatomy was limited. The SHUSURT SAMHITA recommends that

body be placed in a basket and sunk in a river for seven days. On its removal, the parts could be easily separated without cutting. As a result of the crude methods, the emphasis in Hindu anatomy was given to the bones, and then to the muscles, ligaments, and joints. The nerves, blood vessels and internal organs were very imperfectly known. The Hindus believed that the body contained three elementary substances, microcosmic representatives of the three divine universal forces, which they called spirit (air), Phlegm and bile. These were comparable with the humours of the Greeks. Heath depends on the normal balance of these three elementary substances. The spirit has its seat below the navel the phlegm about the heart, and the bile between the heart and the navel. The seven primary constituents of the body-blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow, chyle, and semen are produced by the actions of the elementary substances. Semen was supposed to be produce from all parts of the body and not from any individual part or organs. Both Charaka and Sushruta stae the existence of a large number of disease (sustura says 1,120) Tough classifications of disease are given. In all texts fever of which numerous types are described, is regarded as important, phthisis(wasting disease, especially pulmonary tuberculosis) was apparently common, and the Hindu physicians knew the symptoms of cases likely to terminate fatally. Smallpox was common, and it is probable that smallpox inoculation was practiced. HINDU WRITINGS ON DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS: In diagnosis, the Hindu physicians used all five senses. Hearing was used to distinguish the nature of the breathing, alternate in voice, and the grinding sound produced by the rubbing together of broken ends of bones. They appear to have had a good clinical sense, and their sections on prognosis contain acute references to symptoms that are of grave import. Magical beliefs still persisted, however, until late in classical period, the prognosis could be affected by such fortuitous factor as the cleanliness of the massager sent to fetch the physician, the nature of his conveyance, or the types of persons whom the physician met on his journey to the patient. Indian therapeutics was largely dietetic medicinal . Deistic treatment was important and proceed any medicinal treatment. Fats were mostly used internally and externally. The most important methods of active treatment were referred to as the five procedures; the administration emetics, purgatives, water enemas, and sneezing powders, inhalations were frequently employed, and were leeching, cupping and bleeding. The Indian materia medica was extensive and consisted mainly of vegetable drugs,all of which were from indigenous plans. Charaka knew 500 medicinal plants, and Susruta knew 700. but animal reminds (such as milk of various animals, bones, gallstones) and minerals (sulfur, arsenic, lead, copper, sulfate, gold) were also employed. The physicians collected and prepared their own vegetable drugs. Among those that eventually appeared in western pharmacopoeias are cardamom and cinnamon. As a result of the strict religious beliefs of the Hindus, hygienic measures were important in treatment. Two meals a day were prescribed with indications of the nature of the diet, the amount of water to be drink before and after the meal, and the use of condiments. Bathing and care of the skin were carfully prescribed, as were cleaning of the teeth with twigs from named trees, anointing of the body with oil and uses of eye washes.

HINDU SURGERY: In surgery, ancient Hindu medicine reached its zenith. Detailed instructions about the choice of instruments and the different operations are given in the classical texts. It has been said the Hindus knew all ancient operations except the arrest of haemorahage by the ligature. Their operations were grouped broadly as follows: excision of tumors; incision of abscesses, punctures of collections of fluid in the abdomen; extraction foreign bodies; pressing out of the contents of absecess; probing of fistulas; and stitching of wound. The surgical instruments used by the Hindus have received special attention in modern times. According to Susruta, the sergoen shoud be equipped 20 sharp and 101 blunt instruments. The sharp instruments included knives of various patterns, scissors, trochars ( instrument for piercing tissues and draining fluids from them) saws and needles. The blunt instruments included forceps, specula (instruments for inspecting body cavity or passages) tubes, leavers, hooks, and probs. The shusrut samhita does not mention the catheter, but it is referred to in later writings. The instrument were largely of steel. Alcohol seems to have been used as a narcotic during operations. Especially in two types of operation the ancient Hindus were outstanding. Stone in the bladder was common in ancient India, and the surgeons were frequently carried out the operations of laterl lithotomy for removal of the stones. They also introduced the plastic surgery. Amputations fo the nose was one of the prescribed punishment for adultery, and repair was carried out by cutting from the patient cheek a piece of tissue of required size and shape and applying it to the stump of the nose. The results appear to have tolerably satisfactory, and the modern operation is certainly derived indirectly from this ancient source. The Hindu surgeons, also performed an operaton for the cure of anal fistula and in this they were definitely in advance of the Greeks. In the Pas there had been much speculation as to whether the Greek derived any of their medical knowledge from the Hindus. Mid 20th century opinion held that there was certainly intercommunications between Greek and India before the time of Alexander the Great. A brief description of chronological events related to development of health and medicine in India is given bellow: 3000 BC: In the Indus Valley Civilization, one finds evidence of well developed environmental sanitation programs such as underground drains public baths ets. AROGYA or health was given high priority in daily life and this concept of health included physical mental social spiritual well being. 2000 BC: Rigveda Marks the beginning of the Indian system of medicine. Medicine was considered part of VDEDAS or scrptures. AYURVEDA a Science of life and art of living said to be founded by Sage ATRYA; Good health implies an ideal balance between tridoshic factors. i.e. wind, bile, phlegm(VAT, PITA, KAPHA) according to Ayurveda. Health promotion and health education were also emphasized by following dincharya. 1000BC: ATHARVAVEDA mentions the twin aims of medical sciences as health and longevity and curative treatment. Hygiene and dietetics are considered important in treatment. Beneficial effects of milk are considered important in treatment and is described in detais.

800 BC: A codification of medical knowledge scattered through Vedas by BHELA called BHEL SAMHITA. 700 BC: A codification of medical knowledge by AGNIVESA, said to be disciple of ATREYA, called AGNIVESA SAMHITA become basis of later CHARAKA. 600 BC: A treatise by KASYAPA mainly dealing with pediatrics. 500BC: CHIVARAVASTU, a book written by unknown author is found. It mentions prince Jivika, the court physician of Bimbasara, the king of magadh, as marvelous physician and surgeon. He is credited with such difficult operation as piercing the skull to operate on the brain, surgery of the eye etc. and medical treatment of dropsy, internal tumors and varicose veins. 272 BC 236 BC: King Ashoka, a convert to Buddhism, ,. Built no of hospitals. More emphasis was laid on the preventive aspect. Doctors, nurses, and midwives were to be trust worthy and skilful. The nurses were usually men and old women. This period saw famous medical schools at Taxila and Nalanda. 237 BC 201 BC: St. Buddha instituted a state medical system. Appointed doctors for every 10 villages on the main roads of India. Pharmaceuitica gardens were also maintained 100 BC: CHARAKA SAMHIA, The first classical exposition of Indian system medicine deals with an almost all the branches of medicine, anatomy, physiology, aetiology, prognosis, pathology, treatement, procedure and sequence of medication and extension. MATERIA MEDICA for more than 600 drugs. This treatise formed the basis of the ATREYA school of medicine in India in 100 AD. The qualification of attending nurse, enshrined in the CHARAKA SAMHITA, ie. Knowledge of preparation and compounding of drugs for administration, cleverness, devoteness to patient under care and purity of both mind and body. 200-300 AD: SHUSRUTA SAMHITA appears to have been revised by NAGARJUNA, laid main emphasis on surgery. This great treatise described more than 300 operations, 43 different surgical process and 121 different types of instruments. MATERIA MEDICA is also extensive covering more than 650 drugs of animals, plants and mineral origin. This treatise forms the basis DHANVANTARI school (350ad). Shusruta defines ideal relations of doctors, patient, nurses, and medicine as the four feet upon which a cure must rest.