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A Concise History of Science in India c8.s5.t5: Āyurvedic Surgery

A Concise History of Science in India c8.s5.t5

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English

Āyurvedic Surgery

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The high achievements of Āyurvedic surgery have been described in an earlier section. The general excellence of Āyurvedic surgery is attested by the remarkably rational concepts and scientific methods found in the texts. Details of such methods are naturally out of place here.

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According to Suśruta, surgery is the best, quickest and generally the most successful method of treatment,g as it involves total removal of the diseased or morbid accumulations of *doṣas*, *dhātus* and *malas* and gives the organism a better chance to acquire a new equilibrium by post-surgical medication to replenish the removed tissues, fluids, secretions, etc. Surgical treatment, according to *Āyurveda*, is not limited to the use of surgical instruments alone but a complete course of treatment, including diagnosis, preparatory methods and measures, actual operation and post-surgical methods, to aid healing and restoration of health.h The *Suśruta Saṃhitā* recommends the use of bandages, splints, padding materials, plugs, lints, tourniquets, ligatures, horse-mane, human hair, silk and other threads, boiling and cold water, honey, milk, clarified butter, vegetable oils, pulverized cereals soaked in water, caustic and mild alkalis, heated metals, astringent pastes and solutions, setting plasters, ointments and alcoholic liquids as aids in surgical processes. For the different types of surgical processes (listed as incision, excision, scraping and softening of epidermic layers, puncturing, probing, extraction, draining and suturing) used for various conditions requiring surgery, 24 different manipulative methods (including sucking out, flushing, compression, wrenching, injections, etc.) are described. A great variety of surgical instruments including scalpels, razors, saws, probes, needles, hooks, forceps, pincers, hammers, tubular appliances, hollow hemispheres, horn instruments, speculums, etc., made of tempered hardened iron and other metals are described.a

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a *CS. Sū.*, 5.

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b *CS. Ci.*, 6 and 7.

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c *CS. Sū.*, 1, 9, 10 and 11.

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d *CS. Sū.*, 14.

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e *SS. Sū.*, 45.

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f *CS. Vi.*, 6.

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g *SS. Sū.*, 1.

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h *SS. Sū.*, 7.

Cites (2)