Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India, Part I: Osteology, or the Bones of the Human Body c6.s2.t6.28

c6.s2.t6.28

‘In the surgical text-book of Suśruta the number of the bones of the human body is given as only three hundred. Of these there are one hundred and eight in the extremities; one hundred and twenty-six in the pelvic cavity, sides, back, collar-bones (akṣa), and breast; and from the neck upwards, sixty-six. In this wise, the total of three hundred is made up. Now in each toe of the foot there are three bones; this makes altogether fifteen. Those bones which constitute the sole, cluster, and ankle are seven. In the heel there is one; in the leg there are two; in the knee there is one; also in the thigh there is one. Thus there are twenty-seven bones in one lower limb. The same count applies to the other lower limb, as well as to the two upper limbs. This makes up a total of one hundred and eight bones. In the pelvic cavity there are five bones; of these there are two in the hips; and the arms, pubes, and sacrum are constituted each of one bone. In one side there are thirty-six bones, and as many in the other. In the back there are thirty; two are in what is called the collar-bone; seventeen in the breast; eleven in the neck; four in the windpipe; and two in the jaws. The teeth number thirty-two. In the nose there are three bones, two in the palate; one each in either cheek, ear, and temple, making together six; and there are six in the cranium. These make altogether sixty-six. Thus the grand total of three hundred is made up. This is the list of the bones of the skeleton.’ (Original Text in § 90.)