History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c21.s4.3

v1.c21.s4.3

Major surgical operations were carried out during the period of Suśruta, without anaesthesia. The most infrequent successful outcome of such operations, done regardless of all antiseptic precautions, could only be explained by the supposition that the aboriginal races had a greater power of resistance against wound infection than highly civilised nations. Moreover, the fumigation of operation theatre by guggulu and other similar indigenous drugs have been mentioned by Suśruta to prevent the infection in surgical cases. However, the modern surgery follows the same pattern of distempering the operation theatres these days. Surgical operations used to be performed on an auspicious lunar, day, star and movement after worshipping the god of fire, Brāhmins, physicians, with curdled milk, rice, drinks and jewels and after offering presents as well as blessings. Suśruta mentions three stages in the treatment of surgical diseases, i.e. the preliminary measures (pūrva-karma), the principal/surgical performance (pradhāna-karma), and the post-operative management (paścāta-karma). Great emphasis is being laid on the post- operative measures, caustic was considered superior to all cutting instruments. Fire (Agni) as well as cauterisation (Agnikarma) was regarded even more efficacious than the caustics. It was mostly used to erradicate the tumours, fistulae, elephantasis and haemorrhoids, etc.