Indian Medicine (Medicin), translated by C. G. Kashikar c9.4

c9.4

§ 19. Position and Practice of Physicians :—After termination of his studies and his practical training, the future physician should secure permission of the king for the practice of medical profession (Su. 1. 10. 3). This permission of the king is necessary because otherwise the quacks would force their existence in his kingdom and might prove a public calamity (Dallana). Caraka speaks very strongly of such cheats who wander about in the streets boasting in the garb of physicians. As soon as they hear of a patient, they hurry and praise loudly their medical capacities so that they reach his ears. They try to win over the friends of the patient by all sorts of attention and emphasize that they would be satisfied with small remunerations. When they treat a patient and are not able to allay his pains, they assert that the patient does not get the necessary remedies, he disobeys the directions given and that he cannot control his desire. When the case is hopeless they run away. They try to praise their cleverness before uneducated people, and by doing so they only betray their ignorance. They avoid the assemblies of educated people, just as a traveller avoids a dangerous forest. Nobody knows their teacher, pupil or fellow-pupil (Car. 1. 29. 9)¹. Such quacks are particularly responsible for the bad reputation of physicians, as a result of which it was laid down in Dharmaśāstra not to accept charity from a physician (*cikitsaka*)². Yet the Ambaṣṭhas whose business is healing art, hold a tolerably high position in the succession of castes, because paternally they are descended from Brahmans⁵. Even the modern Vaidyas in Bengal, of whom about one third practise medicine even to the present day, enjoy high regard. In the middle age the famous Sena dynasty descended from them⁶. The highest aim for a physician seems to be to treat a king and become the physician of the king. It was the duty of such court-physicians to protect the king from poisoning and to inspect the royal cooking for this purpose (cf. § 95). This also explains why Cakradatta, the famous medical author, was the son of the head-cook of a Bengali king⁷. In war also the physician should protect the king, particularly from poisoning, should purify the wells, food etc. poisoned by the enemy and should stay closely by the side of the king, treat poisonings, wounds and diseases occurring in his army (Su. 1.34). In fact Alexander the Great gathered the most expert Indian physicians in his pavilion in order to cure serpent-bites and also other ailments (Arrian, *Ind.* p. 15). Jivaka Komārabhacca, a contemporary of Buddha, received very high honorarium for his wonderful cures⁸. A physician mentioned in the Rgveda desires to receive "horses, cattle and clothing" by means of his healing herbs⁹. The physician should give his medicines gratis to a Brahman, a spiritual teacher, poor, friend, an ascetic and the like. On the contrary, he should not treat the hunters, fowlers, outcastes and sinners. By such procedure he obtains friends, fame, merit, wealth and satisfaction (Su 1. 2. 8). Regarding the outward appearance of the physician Su 1. 10. 3 says he should keep his nails and hair short, should bathe and wear a white dress, should wear an umbrella, a stick and shoes. He should be modestly dressed, of friendly speech, accompanied by a dependable servant and should thus go for practice. According to Car 1.8.18-28 he should direct his attention towards the curing of the patient and should not cause an injury to him even though his own life were at stake, should not think even once of the wife or property of anybody. He should avoid drunkenness, sin and bad company. He should not disclose events in the home of the patient, he should also not utter a word even if he felt the vicinity of death, lest it might do harm to the patient or to others. According to Su 1. 25. 44 the physician should treat the patient as his own son. On the hospitals see § 22.