Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c10.s1.17

c10.s1.17

The State controlled and regulated medical practice in the land.² Laws were enacted to ensure that medical practitioners exercised due caution in treatment of patients. Every case of dangerous disease had to be reported to Government, failing which, the physician was fined. There was a penalty attaching to a proved case of carelessness on the part of a physician causing the death of a patient, while the aggravation of disease owing to his negligence was treated very much like a case of assault or violence.¹ Thus the physicians were cautioned against "gathering experience" at the cost of the lives of hundreds of patients.