Hindu Administrative Institutions c12.s6.14

c12.s6.14

The public health department of the Municipal administration is not without interest also. The *Dharmasūtras* and the *Dharma Śāstras* agree in the main as to the various regulations for maintaining public health in towns. Āpastamba has rules relating to health and hygiene.⁶ Gautama rules that the use and sale of bad milk and bad flesh must be punished severely.⁷ The committing of nuisance in public roads and in sacred spots such as rivers, temples, shady places, before fire, women and Brahmana was punished.⁸ One should not spoil the waters by saliva, blood, or other kind of impurities.¹ (The conception of pure and good water as the first essential for all good health has been realized from remote times.² There were hospitals for both man and beast. Medical aid was given on an adequate and large scale. Various measures were taken to prevent the spreading of diseases throughout the land. Adulterated articles of food as also adulterated medicines if administered were severely dealt with.³ State hospitals for adults and children are mentioned in the *Mānava Dharma Śāstra*.⁴ Other preventive measures by observance of special religious rites were not uncommon. Mention is made of four classes of medical experts, including midwives and nurses, army-surgeons, as well as a number of medicinal drugs and herbs and surgical instruments. That ancient Indian medical science was not advanced⁵ in the line of surgery is completely falsified from the numerous references made in the *Arthaśāstra*. Megasthanes mentions to us with what care and attention medical help was afforded even to foreigners when they fell ill. It is said that Alexander consulted Indian physicians when he was in India. There is in addition the evidence of the Buddhist *Jātakas*⁶ which mention distinctly that special lectures were delivered in medicine and surgery in the educational institutions of Benares and Taxila. Kauṭalya recommends punishment to physicians who treated patients with carelessness. Epidemics were at once reported to the state authorities who, it is not impossible to guess, took measures to prevent contagion.⁷ Regulations as to dress and beddings demonstrate in a large measure the utmost care bestowed upon health. These show that side by side with their ideas of philosophy and care of souls the ancient Hindus bestowed great attention also to their physical health.¹