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History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c22.s2: Prognostic Techniques

History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c22.s2

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English

Prognostic Techniques

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The art of prognosis was highly developed in ancient Indian Medicine. The origin of the art of prognosis has to be traced to the inherent desire of the physician to know with some certainty what would be the outcome of his treatment and the course which the disease he was treating would take. In pre-vedic times when the cause of disease was attributed to external agencies the modest physician looked to these agencies for some guidance as to the outcome of the disease. But as magic and witchcraft were replaced by empiricism and reason, prognosis assumed a different aspect. It was common experience that some patients died inspite of adequate treatment. As Caraka remarks, there are patients that meet with death not withstanding the application of treatment in its entirety. Not all patients by obtaining treatment obtain recovery. The reason is that not all diseases are capable of cure. The great problem therefore was to discover what were the factors that influenced the course of treatment for good or ill and how to ascertain them before hand i.e. before the treatment was commenced ‘Men die’ says Suśruta from their action of former life, from improper treatment, and from the uncertainty of human life. When life is about to depart, spirits ghosts and demons approach the dying and from their desire to kill, prevent the action of medicine hence no treatment is effective with persons whose lives are at an end (SS. Sū 31. 31).

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That is why such great emphasis was laid on the ascertainment of the period of life expectancy. The physician on approaching a patient should first test his longevity and see if he has any vitality in him says Susruta. So also Caraka at the commencement of Indriya-Sthāna mentions several items that should be examined and attended to by the physician desirous of ascertaining what the patient’s life expectancy is.

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Caraka in Indriya Sthāna deals with the subject of prognosis on the same lines which he employed in the study of diseases. To find out what are the indications for ascertaining the life expectancy, he proposes to conduct this examination by means of direct perception, inference and the instructions of the wise, the same three methods he employed in connection with the study of diseases, viz., Pratyakṣa, Anumāna and Āptopadeśa.

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These prognostic symptoms and signs can be classified into two categories.

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1. Puruṣa Samsraya: Those fatal features which are actually found in the body of the patient.

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2. Puruṣa Anasraya: Those which are outside the body of the person. These are the features seen in the family members of the patient and surroundings. Of these two, it is the former which is given more importance and not the latter. Further, the former is again sub-divided into three groups.

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1.A. Lakṣaṇa Nimitta: There are certain feature present since the birth of the person such as hasta rekhā (lines in the palms), padarekhā (lines of the soles), auspicious and unauspicious features of different parts of the body. This branch of knowledge known as Sāmudrika Śāstra (physignomy) has its own separate literature. It’s detailed description is not seen in ancient Ayurvedic classics.

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1.B. Laksya Nimitta: These are fatal features appearing in the course of various diseases affecting human beings. The elaborate descriptions of these features are seen in the classics which is very relevant to medical science.

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1.C. Nimittānurūpa: These are fatal features which invariably appear in every person prior to his death without any reason except death. There are definite features heralding death and so are the real fatal signs in the real sense of the term.

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Observing these, death can be predicted if the physician is well experienced in recognising them. Ayurvedic classics have also described these features to some extent.

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The Ancient Indian prognostic skill displays, on one side wonderful perception and power of observation, while on the other hand it literally abounds in evidence of primitive superstition. In this connection may be indicated their belief in dreams and the ominous influence of purely fortuitous occurrences previous to visiting the patient. Great stress was laid on the occurrences of celestial phenomena, Susruta says, “the physician should not be called in the following lunar asterism Kṛttikā, Ārdrā, Āśleṣā etc. and the following days of the moon viz., the fourth, sixth and ninth and the day of new moon”. In addition to celestial phenomena, all events of note, encounters etc. assume the role of portents, affording an insight into the future fate. Particular attention was paid to the dreams of the patient. Both Caraka and Suśruta describe such dreams and their importance in detail. Indian Medical texts give lists of omens that indicate prognosis. In these both good and bad prognostic omens are narrated in all the three major classics.

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