The Indian method is called in the medical literature. Healing in the countries of the Ancient East

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Topic: Healing in ancient India.
Plan
I. Introduction
1. History of the formation of India.
2. Periodization of the history of healing in Ancient India.
II.Magical healing of the Vedic period.
1.Religious and philosophical works of ancient India - the Vedas.
2. Medical deities of the Vedic period.
3. Social structure of ancient India.

III.Natural scientific knowledge and healing in classical period.

2. Monuments of ancient Ayurvedic writing: “Charaka-Samhita” and “Sushruta-Samhita”.
3. Medicinal plants in ancient India.
4. Hygienic traditions in ancient India.
5.Surgery in ancient India.
6. The position of the doctor in ancient India
7. The religious and philosophical system of ancient India is yoga.
IV. General conclusions on this topic.

The ancient and original civilization of India developed in III millennium BC e. within the Hindustan subcontinent long before the appearance of Indo-Iranian (Aryan) tribes in the country. The peoples who inhabited the river valley. Indus, early 3rd millennium BC. created an original culture that was not inferior to the culture of Ancient Egypt and the states of Mesopotamia. Currently, on its territory there are modern states: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal. The history of Ancient India should be divided into several periods, each of which has its own specifics. Accordingly, the state of medicine in each of these periods had its own characteristics.

In her book “History of World Medicine” Sorokina T.S. identifies three stages in the history of healing in ancient India, separated both in time and space:
1) period Harappan civilization(III - beginning of the 2nd millennium BC, Indus River valley), when the first slave-owning city-states in the history of ancient India were formed on the territory of modern Pakistan;
2) Vedic period (end of the 2nd - mid-1st millennium BC, valley of the Ganges River), when, with the arrival of the Aryans, the center of civilization moved to the eastern part of the subcontinent and the compilation of “sacred texts” (Sanskrit - Veda) began, transmitted during long period in oral tradition;
3) classical period (second half of the 1st millennium BC - beginning of the 1st millennium
n. e., Hindustan subcontinent) - the time of greatest prosperity traditional culture ancient INDIA. It is characterized by the high development of agriculture, crafts and trade, the rise original culture, the establishment and spread of Buddhism, the first of the three world religions, successes in various areas knowledge, literature and art, the widespread development of trade and cultural ties between India and the countries of the ancient world, which brought it the fame of the “Country of the Wise”.
I will dwell in detail on the last two stages in the history of healing in ancient India.

In India, medicine has developed significantly, but its ancient history cannot be accurately described, since information about it has been preserved only in the form of legends.
The main sources are ancient literary monuments, religious and philosophical works - the Vedas (1st millennium BC). Hence the name of the period - Vedic. Indications of medical knowledge in this period are preserved in the “Rigveda” (“Rigveda” - the Veda of hymns and mythological stories, the oral tradition of which dates back to the 12th-10th centuries BC) and the “Atharva-veda” (“Atharva-veda” - Veda of spells and conspiracies, VIII-VI centuries BC). Write down sacred texts began in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. (c. 500 BC).
The Rig Veda mentions three ailments: leprosy, consumption, bleeding, and once speaks of a healer in the following words: “Our desires are different, the driver thirsts for firewood, the healer thirsts for diseases, and the priest thirsts for sacrificial libations.” Some sections of the Rigveda contain texts about the rituals of magical healing - in the Vedic period, medical knowledge was closely intertwined with conspiracies, spells, appeals to the gods, among whom Indra was especially revered - the leader of the Indian pantheon, the king of the gods, the giver of rain, the thunderer and the organizer of the world. The hymns addressed to Indra contained prayers for the sending of military victories, booty, wealth, male offspring, and strength. They asked him for protection from enemies, diseases, and misfortunes.
The deities associated with medicine also included young healers - the Ashwin twins. In the Vedas, they controlled the morning and evening dawn, traveling across the sky with Surya (the sun god) on a golden chariot. The brothers were revered as the first surgeons. No less powerful was the patron of hunters, Rudra, who owned the secret of medicinal plants. The intoxicating drink Soma, used in sacrificial rituals, is named after the god Soma, who was revered in India as the Moon God. The most influential was the god of fire and regenerating life with beautiful name Agni.

In the vast ancient Indian mythology, there were also evil demons (asuras and rakshasas), who (as was believed) brought misfortune, illness, ruin to people, and deprived them of offspring. Thus, in the Atharva Veda, illnesses are either associated with evil spirits, or are regarded as punishment from the gods; the cure of illnesses was explained by the effect of sacrifices, prayers and spells. At the same time, the Atharva Veda also reflects the practical experience of the people in the use of medicinal plants, the action of which at that time was understood as a healing force that counteracts evil spirits. Ancient healers were called that way - bhishadj (“exorcist of demons”). This name remained with them for more later periods history of India, when the healer-exorcist turned into a healer-healer. Over time, ideas about the causes of diseases also changed. Thus, in the “Yajurveda” (“Yajurveda” - the Veda of sacrificial spells, VIII-VII centuries BC) the four juices of the body are already mentioned.
The slave system in India developed in the 3rd millennium BC, and the stratification of society occurred in a unique way. Instead of the "traditional" slaves and slave owners, there were four main classes (varnas) in India:
brahmanas (brahma-pa - knowledgeable of sacred teachings, i.e. priest),
kshatriyas (ksatriya- endowed with power, i.e. military nobility and members of royal families),
vaishyas (vaisya - free community member, i.e. mainly farmers and cattle breeders)
and sudras (sud-ga - powerless poor).
Each of the varnas consisted of many castes and subcastes (Portuguese casto - pure; in Sanskrit jati - a group of people of the same origin). In addition, outside the varnas and, as it were, outside the law, there existed a fifth, lowest class - pariahs (untouchables), used in the most unpleasant and humiliating jobs.
This social structure ancient India, based mainly on the division of functions, was considered primordial, unshakable, established by the divine will of Brahma, the greatest of the ancient gods. Shudras and pariahs had practically no rights. They were not allowed to listen to or repeat the Vedas. Only representatives of the upper classes - brahmanas, kshatriyas and vaishyas - had the privilege to practice the art of medicine.

In the VI century. BC e. ancient India entered the classical period of development. It is characterized by major achievements in various fields of knowledge and the creation of outstanding monuments of ancient Indian writing: “Prescriptions of Maku” (II century BC - II century AD), mathematical, astronomical and medical treatises (first centuries AD) , as well as the emergence and spread of the religious and philosophical doctrine - Buddhism (from the 6th century BC) - the first world religion.
By this time, India had developed a developed system of medical knowledge, “in some respects similar to the system of Hippocrates and Galen, and in others going even further,” as the English Indologist Arthur Basham wrote about it. Indian medicine was based on the concept of the integrity of the human body. It was believed that only the entire complex of physical, mental and mental states of a person determines his illness or health. Modern definitions The concepts of “health” and “disease” proposed by the World Health Organization in 1957 are not fundamentally different from the conclusions of the ancient Indians. It was not the disease that was affected, but the patient himself, with his individual character, habits and predisposition. Treatment tactics were determined primarily by the curability or incurability of the disease. With a favorable prognosis, the healer took into account the characteristics of the disease, time of year, age, temperament, strength and intelligence of the patient. Treatment was based on diet, drug therapy and surgery. Interestingly, treatment of the disease did not stop with recovery. The doctor was obliged to continue monitoring the patient further in order to reliably ensure complete restoration of body functions, guaranteeing health and active longevity. Fundamentals of traditional medicine for a long time passed from teacher to student orally. Much later, medical experience was summarized and recorded under the name “Ayurveda”. Translated from the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit, “ayu” means “life”, and “veda” means “to know”. Ayurveda was considered a science by the knowledge of which life can be prolonged and the nature of life can be known. Ayurveda describes the properties of more than a thousand medicinal plants, provides a wide variety of treatment methods and techniques - from psychotherapy to surgical intervention, and contains an extensive theoretical material.
In the classical period of the history of ancient India, healers moved away from the supernatural ideas about the causes of diseases that prevailed in the Vedic period. The religious and philosophical systems on which they were based in the search for the foundations of the universe also revealed elements of natural scientific knowledge. Man was considered in close connection with the surrounding world, which, according to the ancient Indians, consisted of five elements: earth, air, fire, water and ether. The different quality of objects was explained different combination the smallest particles of anu (“atoms”).
Philosophers, scientists, and doctors of Ancient India believed that the basis of the Universe and the human body were three main primary elements, which determined the existence of the cosmos and man - wind (vayu), bile (pitta) and phlegm (kapha). Wind in nature is the carrier of light, coolness, sound propagating in space, rapidly rushing streams, and inside the human body it controls blood circulation, digestion, excretion and metabolism. Accelerating or slowing down the “movement of juices and substances” through the wind disrupts the normal functioning of the body. Bile is represented in space by fire, and in the body it determines “natural heat”, maintains body temperature and ensures the activity of the digestive organs and the activity of the heart muscle. Phlegm in the Universe and in man was associated with all kinds of “soft” substances. It was associated with lubricating oil, covering all hard and rough substances and facilitating their movement and interaction. Health was understood as the result of a balanced relationship between three substances, correct execution vital functions, normal condition sense organs and clarity of mind, and illness is a violation of these correct relationships and the result of the negative impact on a person of the five elements, which included seasons, climate, “indigestible” food, “unhealthy” water and depressed negative emotions. For example, it was believed that the suppression of fear leads to “kidney problems,” and that suppressing anger leads to “heart problems.” For emergency control of diseases, five main methods of removing harmful substances from the body were used: therapeutic vomiting, laxatives, medicinal enema, administration of medicine through the nose and bloodletting. Auxiliary therapeutic methods were acupuncture, heliotherapy (treatment sunlight), hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches), etc.
According to Indian traditional medicine specialist Dr. Anand Kumar Keswani, “... Ayurveda remains a living science to this day, as millions of people in India are treated according to its prescriptions. It is difficult to label a system of knowledge that has stood the test of centuries as unscientific.”
Buddhist texts brought to us the glory of the Indian healers Charaka and Sushruta, who outlined their knowledge in the treatises “Charaka-Samhita” and “Sushruta-Samhita” (I–II centuries AD). The original of the Sushruta Samhita, which has not survived to this day, according to some sources, could have been compiled much earlier - in the 6th century. BC. Both treatises are written in prose and verse, with poetry predominating. The six weighty volumes of the Charaka Samhita are devoted to the treatment of internal diseases and contain information on more than 600 medicines of plant, animal and mineral origin. Their use is reported in several sections: treatment of wounds, treatment of diseases of the head area, treatment of diseases of the whole body, treatment of mental illnesses, treatment of childhood diseases, antidotes. The most valuable information is contained in the chapters “Elixirs against senile decrepitude” and “Medicines that increase sexual activity.” The Sushruta Samhita is mainly dedicated to surgical treatment: it describes more than 300 operations, 125 surgical instruments and at least 650 medicines. Despite the imperfect research technique, the knowledge of Indian healers in the field of anatomy was the most complete in the ancient world. The Indians, in particular, knew 500 muscles, 900 ligaments, 90 tendons, 300 bones (they also included teeth and cartilage as bones), 107 joints, etc. For comparison: modern anatomy knows more than 600 muscles, 200 bones and 230 joints. In his treatise, Sushruta perfectly outlined human physiology, describing blood circulation long before Harvey, and the secretion of gastric juice long before Pavlov. It is curious that dissection of corpses for the purpose of studying them never encountered any opposition in Ancient India. Diagnosis of diseases was based on a detailed interview with the patient (nowadays doctors call this anamnesis) and examination of body warmth, skin color and tongue, type of discharge, assessment of noise in the lungs, voice, etc. Interestingly, neither Sushruta nor Charaka says anything about pulse examination. At the same time, Sushruta describes “sugar diabetes,” unknown even to the ancient Greeks, which he determined by the taste of urine. Sushruta presented in detail the causes and mechanisms of development of about 1200 different diseases. It is in Sushruta (presumably the 6th century BC), and not in Cornelius Celsus (1st–2nd centuries AD), as was believed until recently, that one can truly find the first historical description local inflammatory process. Sushruta considered minor pain to be the signs of the initial stage of inflammation; the signs of the second stage were shooting pain, swelling, a feeling of pressure, local heat, redness and dysfunction. Celsus named four signs of inflammation, which in Latin sound like tumor, rubor, color, dolor (swelling, redness, local heat, pain), and Galen added a fifth - functia laesa (dysfunction). The third stage of inflammation was characterized by Sushruta as a decrease in swelling and the formation of pus. He proposed local medicines and surgical methods to treat inflammation.
The fame of the healing properties of Indian plants spread far beyond the borders of Ancient India: they were brought to Parth via sea and land trade routes
etc.................

Many have heard about Indian Ayurveda, but few understand its true description. Translated from Sanskrit, Ayurveda means life and knowledge.

Indian and... were the first in the world to begin to develop. The medical knowledge gained since then has been applied throughout the world. The main principles of medicine are based on Ayurveda, the traditional Indian healing system. Ayurveda contains knowledge about longevity and health that is passed on from generation to generation.

Knowledge of Ancient India

The first ideas about science, which has something similar to medicine, appeared in 2 thousand BC. e. According to literary sources that have survived to this day, people tried to explain the processes occurring in the body through philosophy. This was the beginning of the development of medicine in Ancient India and the treatment of ailments. This knowledge was called “Vedas”.

The explanation for this was the following interpretation: the human body is the shell of the soul, but it is tied to material wealth. Causes bodily ailments should be sought in this imperfection of human nature.

The development of medicine in Ancient India had a huge impact on Chinese healing. If we briefly describe the development of medicine in India, the following information is known: “Rigveda” is the oldest Vedic scripture that describes the treatment of bleeding, leprosy, and consumption. This scripture was like a collection magical rituals, and the disease had to be treated by reading prayers and performing rituals.

The formation of Indian Ayurveda

Complete medical knowledge was described at the beginning of our era. A system of healing called Ayurveda was formed at that time. This system implies “the teaching of long life». The first experience of healing was gained by the Vaidyas, a small group of people living a “wild life”. They lived in forests and among mountains.

The history of medicine in Ancient India was based on the five elements (air, fire, earth, air, ether), and cosmic energy. The Vaidyas were the first to notice the dependence of human well-being on the cycles of the Moon. Observing, they suggested that animals have analogues of human organs.

Development of Indian medicine

Healing and alternative medicine in India were characterized by rapid development and received universal recognition. Ayurveda methods began to be used in the East.

Acupuncture, plastic surgery, hirudotherapy (leech treatment), organ transplantation, acupuncture - people learned about these therapeutic and surgical methods thanks to Ayurvedic knowledge. In India, herbal preparations, infusions, and decoctions were widely used.

During the classical period of history, India dramatically changed its ideas about medicine. Healers began to forget about the supernatural causes of diseases and devoted more time to man as a part of the world.

Elements and liquids of Indian medicine

Five elements carry 3 fluids: mucus (located above the heart), bile (responsible for the area between the navel and the heart muscle), wind (the area below the navel). These 3 fluids and 5 elements form the 6 products of the human body:

the seed of a man;
fat layer;
brain;
bones;
muscles;
blood.

For example, the wind is responsible for metabolism, excretion, blood circulation, and digestion. This is because the wind carries sound, freshness and coolness. Medicine in Ancient India was based on peculiar knowledge, some of which may seem unusual and not at all like medical treatises:

Disease of the body begins with a disturbed flow of bile, wind and mucus. The severity and development depends on the degree of imbalance between the 3 primary elements.
Phlegm is a soft substance that acts as lubricant, they are responsible for vigorous activity.
Bile belongs to the fire element. It is responsible for body temperature, heart activity and digestive function.

Ayurveda in India: types of people

Depending on the 3 liquids, types of people are distinguished according to Ayurveda. They have different body types and susceptibility to diseases:

Wind or Vata – the nervous system is dominant, they have difficulty gaining weight. They are like fireworks, they are capable of a powerful start, but get tired quickly. According to the teachings of Ayurveda, they should try to see in life positive points. They develop early wrinkles, problems with joints and muscles.
Mucus or Kapha – tall people with large physiques. They are balanced and calm, optimists in life. Thick skin, excellent health, but negative qualities refers to laziness. They are advised to stop eating bad food, follow a daily routine and rest. Obesity often occurs.
Bile or Pitt - have a normal physique and average height, they are diligent, enterprising, have an agile mind, and are active. They know how to defend their position, however, they get irritated for any reason. People have loud voice and pleasant timbre. They need to learn to channel their energy into useful things. They suffer from skin pathologies and heart disease.

Description of types of people according to Ayurveda

Ayurveda: benefits for women

Representatives of the fair sex use the best Ayurvedic knowledge to improve their health and maintain beauty. Proper nutrition leads to normalization of the state of mind and body. There is a term “Ayurvedic products”, which include:

vegetables;
pulses;
dairy products;
fruits.

Eat different kinds Ayurvedic massage. The treatment procedure using medicinal herbs is called Potli massage. Other massages include:

Abhyanga - massage using vegetable oil.
Nasya - massaging the nose.
During the Shirodhara procedure, a thin stream of oil is poured onto the patient's forehead, which stimulates brain activity and is good for hair.
Foot massage stimulates all the necessary points, which helps the functioning of all body systems.

Oil is poured in a trickle onto the “third eye”

Interesting fact: the level of medicine in India is the same as in European countries. Every year this country is visited by more than 270 thousand tourists who come for treatment. At first, medicine was studied in India through internships in the United States.

Then all clinics in India received the most respected accreditation - JCI. The undoubted advantage of this country is the cost of the services provided, it is much lower than in European countries, but the quality does not suffer.

Now it is difficult to say where the first medical specialists appeared. Every ancient state is ready to dispute this, declaring that it was on their lands that science was formed. However, historians, like other scientists, are increasingly inclined to believe that India can lay claim to the title of the first “medical” power. Ancient India was considered a diverse state. Numerous philosophers and researchers worked here. Therefore, it is no coincidence that in this ancient state a simple interest in nature and other knowledge grew into science. Indians have noticed that some natural remedies are excellent at removing pain and suffering. Over time, knowledge expanded and the number of drugs increased. Even Indian myths say that medicine existed in this state. Only its creation is attributed not to man, but to deities. The gods Siva and Davantari were responsible for medical knowledge in India. If they did not heal on their own, then they helped a person find the right solution to his illness.

The slave system in India developed in the 3rd millennium BC, and the stratification of society occurred in a unique way. Instead of “traditional” slaves and slave owners in India, there were four main classes (varnas), each of which had several more castes and a subcaste (Port. casto - pure). Only representatives of the upper classes - brahmins, kshatriyas and vaishyas - had the privilege to practice the art of medicine. The first mentions of medical knowledge are contained in the Rigveda and Atharvaveda, religious and philosophical works dating back to the mid-1st millennium BC. The Rigveda mentions three diseases - leprosy (leprosy), consumption (tuberculosis) and bleeding. In the Atharva Veda, the occurrence of diseases is associated with the influence of evil spirits or is regarded as punishment from the gods, and the healing of illnesses is explained by the action of sacrifices, prayers and spells. In accordance with prevailing ideas, the doctor was called bhishadj (“exorcist of demons”). A little later in India, as in Ancient Egypt, the principle of division of labor began to be observed. Several medical specialties emerged: rogaharas (physicians), salyaharas (surgeons), visaharas (specialists in the treatment of poisoning), krityaharas (exorcists of evil spirits) and bhisha-atharvans (healers using magical spells). In the I-II centuries. AD In India, a developed system of medical knowledge developed, “in some respects similar to the system of Hippocrates and Galen, and in others going even further,” as the English Indologist Arthur Basham wrote about it. Indian medicine was based on the concept of the integrity of the human body. It was believed that only the entire complex of physical, mental and mental states of a person determines his illness or health. Modern definitions of the concepts of “health” and “disease”, proposed by the World Health Organization in 1957, are not fundamentally different from the conclusions of the ancient Indians. It was not the disease that was affected, but the patient himself, with his individual character, habits and predisposition. Treatment tactics were determined primarily by the curability or incurability of the disease. With a favorable prognosis, the healer took into account the characteristics of the disease, time of year, age, temperament, strength and intelligence of the patient. Treatment was based on diet, drug therapy and surgery. Interestingly, treatment of the disease did not stop with recovery. The doctor was obliged to continue monitoring the patient further in order to reliably ensure complete restoration of body functions, guaranteeing health and active longevity. The basics of traditional medicine have long been passed on from teacher to student orally. Much later, medical experience was summarized and recorded under the name “Ayurveda”. Translated from the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit, “ayu” means “life”, and “veda” means “to know”. Ayurveda was considered a science by the knowledge of which life can be prolonged and the nature of life can be known. Ayurveda describes the properties of more than a thousand medicinal plants, provides a wide variety of treatment methods and techniques - from psychotherapy to surgical intervention, and contains extensive theoretical material.

Philosophers, scientists, and doctors of Ancient India believed that the basis of the Universe and the human body were three main primary elements, which determined the existence of the cosmos and man - wind (vayu), bile (pitta) and phlegm (kapha). Wind in nature is the carrier of light, coolness, sound propagating in space, rapidly rushing streams, and inside the human body it controls blood circulation, digestion, excretion and metabolism. Accelerating or slowing down the “movement of juices and substances” through the wind disrupts the normal functioning of the body. bile is represented in space by fire, and in the body it determines “natural heat”, maintains body temperature and ensures the activity of the digestive organs and the activity of the heart muscle. Phlegm in the Universe and in man was associated with all kinds of “soft” substances. It was associated with lubricating oil, covering all hard and rough substances and facilitating their movement and interaction. Health was understood as the result of a balanced relationship between three substances, the correct performance of vital functions, the normal state of the senses and clarity of mind, and illness was understood as a violation of these correct relationships and the result of a negative impact on a person of the five elements, which included the seasons, climate, “ indigestible food, unhealthy water and suppressed negative emotions. For example, it was believed that the suppression of fear leads to “kidney disorders”, anger - to “heart disorders”. For emergency control of diseases, five main methods of removing harmful substances from the body were used: therapeutic vomiting, laxatives, medicinal enema, administration of medicine through the nose and bloodletting. Auxiliary therapeutic methods were acupuncture, heliotherapy (treatment with sunlight), hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches) and etc. According to Dr. Anand Kumar Keswani, a specialist in the field of traditional medicine in India, “... Ayurveda remains a living science to this day, since millions of people in India are treated according to its prescriptions. It is difficult to label a system of knowledge that has stood the test of centuries as unscientific."

Buddhist texts brought to us the glory of the Indian healers Charaka and Sushruta, who outlined their knowledge in the treatises “Charaka-Samhita” and “Sushruta-Samhita” (I-II centuries AD). The original of the Sushruta Samhita, which has not survived to this day, according to some sources, could have been compiled much earlier - in the 6th century. BC. Both treatises are written in prose and verse, with poetry predominating. The six weighty volumes of the Charaka Samhita are devoted to the treatment of internal diseases and contain information on more than 600 medicines of plant, animal and mineral origin. Their use is reported in several sections: treatment of wounds, treatment of diseases of the head area, treatment of diseases of the whole body, treatment of mental illnesses, treatment of childhood diseases, antidotes. The most valuable information is contained in the chapters “Elixirs against senile decrepitude” and “Medicines that increase sexual activity.” “Sushruta Samhita” is devoted mainly to surgical treatment: it describes more than 300 operations, 125 surgical instruments and at least 650 medicines. Despite the imperfect research technique, the knowledge of Indian healers in the field of anatomy was the most complete in the ancient world. The Indians, in particular, knew 500 muscles, 900 ligaments, 90 tendons, 300 bones (they also included teeth and cartilage as bones), 107 joints, etc. For comparison: modern anatomy knows more than 600 muscles, 200 bones and 230 joints. In his treatise, Sushruta perfectly outlined human physiology, describing blood circulation long before Harvey, and the secretion of gastric juice long before Pavlov. It is curious that dissection of corpses for the purpose of studying them never encountered any opposition in Ancient India. In the vast majority of states of antiquity and the Middle Ages, surgical dissection of corpses was prohibited. Ancient medicine turned to the method of anatomical research only during the period of decline Ancient Greece- Hippocrates does not mention this study at all. And in China, the ban on autopsies of corpses was lifted only in 1913. Diagnosis of diseases was based on a detailed interview of the patient (now doctors call this taking an anamnesis) and a study of body warmth, skin color and tongue, type of discharge, assessment of noise in the lungs, voice, etc. P. Interestingly, neither Sushruta nor Charaka says anything about pulse examination. At the same time, Sushruta describes “sugar diabetes,” unknown even to the ancient Greeks, which he determined by the taste of urine. Sushruta presented in detail the causes and mechanisms of development of about 1200 different diseases. It is in Sushruta (presumably the 6th century BC), and not in Cornelius Celsus (1st-2nd century AD), as was believed until recently, that one can truly find the first historical description of the local inflammatory process. Sushruta considered minor pain to be the signs of the initial stage of inflammation; the signs of the second stage were shooting pain, swelling, a feeling of pressure, local heat, redness and dysfunction. Celsus named four signs of inflammation, which in Latin sound like tumor, rubor, color, dolor (swelling, redness, local heat, pain), and Galen added a fifth - functia laesa (dysfunction). As they say, find ten differences... Sushruta characterized the third stage of inflammation by a decrease in swelling and the formation of pus. To treat inflammation, he proposed local medicines and surgical methods. The fame of the healing properties of Indian plants spread far beyond the borders of Ancient India: they were brought to Parthia, the countries of the Mediterranean and Central Asia, to Southern Siberia and even to China via sea and land trade routes. The best medicinal plants were brought from the Himalayas. The greatest demand was for spikenard, sandalwood, aloe, thermopsis, licorice and rauwolfia. Drugs such as Liv-52 and Tentex, prepared according to ancient Indian recipes, are now successfully used along with drugs modern medicine. The ancient Indians achieved significant success in the field of preventive medicine. In the “Prescriptions of Manu,” dated to the 2nd century. BC, strict hygienic principles were enshrined. “You should never eat food... of the sick, not that which has hair or insects on it, not intentionally touched with your foot, not touched by a dog. It is necessary to remove urine, water used for washing feet, food debris and water used in cleansing rituals far from the home. In the morning you need to get dressed, bathe, brush your teeth, rub your eyes with collyrium and honor the gods.”

Regarding the issue of the origin of vaccine prevention, in most reference books we will find the following information: vaccination against smallpox was discovered by the English physician Edward Jenner in 1796. But 13 centuries earlier in the Indian text (5th century AD) it is said: “Take with the help of using a surgical knife, smallpox matter either from the udder of a cow, or from the hand of an already infected person, between the elbow and shoulder, make a puncture on the hand of another person until it bleeds, and when the pus enters the body along with the blood, a fever is detected.”

So is it time to reconsider the issue of “inventing” vaccination and shift the focus from ambitious Europe to India? Dance like Shiva! In India there is beautiful legend, indicating that the world was created dancing god Shiva. With his divine dance, Shiva destroyed his enemies, and since then the gods have always danced. Hindus consider dance a great gift from the gods. By dancing, a person is freed from negative emotions by releasing muscle tension. But dance, devoid of any rules, when only the body dances and the mind turns off, has a particularly strong healing effect. This dance is called “drunk”. It does not need to be learned, this skill will come on its own when you turn on your favorite music and start moving to the beat, trying to disconnect from the outside world and focus on internal sensations. When dancing, one must strive to achieve a state where the world around us with its problems recedes to another plane or disappears altogether, and all thoughts are focused on the dance. This will mean that you are completely relaxed. But the ancient Indians were especially successful in surgery. Sushruta considered surgery "the first and best of all medical sciences, the precious work of heaven and the sure source of glory." Surgical instruments were made from steel, the production of which was mastered by the Indians. “Sastras (sharp instruments) must be made by skilled craftsmen (smiths|), using proven methods. They should be pleasant to look at, sharp, comfortable to hold in the hand, and capable of splitting hair. They should be made from well-processed hard metal; their color should resemble a blue lotus and their shape should correspond to their name.” The names of the instruments included lions, bears, tigers, wolves and deer, as well as many birds and insects. Their claws, teeth, beaks and trunks became prototypes of needles, forceps, scalpels and lancets, and the surgeon turned to the strength of these animals when starting an operation.

Sushruta described 125 various instruments and allowed surgeons to invent new ones for everyone individual case. Sushruta was the first to classify all surgical operations, dividing them into seven types: aharya (extractions solids), bhedya (excision), chhedya (cutting), eshya (examination), lekhya (scarification), sevya (suturing) and visravanya (removal of fluid). Even without the concept of asepsis and antiseptics, the ancient Indians achieved careful adherence to cleanliness in operation time. Experienced blacksmiths made surgical instruments from steel, not copper or bronze, as in other countries Ancient world. These tools were stored in special wooden boxes and were sharpened so that they could cut hair. Before the operation, they were disinfected with plant juices, washed in hot water, calcination on fire. However, the modern term “disinfection” does not quite fit these actions. The impact of fire and water on the doctor's instruments necessarily accompanied treatment like any sacred art.

Ancient Indian surgeons performed eye surgeries, limb amputations, laparotomies, stone cuttings, hernia repairs, and even plastic surgeries. According to Arthur Basham, they “knew how to restore noses, ears and lips lost or mutilated in battle or by court verdict. In this area, Indian surgery was ahead of European surgery until the 18th century, when the surgeons of the East India Company did not consider it humiliating to learn from the Indians the art of rhinoplasty (plastic surgery of the nose).”

The method of rhinoplasty, described in detail in Sushruta’s treatise, went down in history under the name “Indian method” and in various variations remains relevant to this day. Ancient Indian texts first described the operation of removing a clouded lens (cataract).

A lot of information has been preserved about the Sushruta School, which had laboratories for the preparation of medicines, separate rooms for classes and equipped operating rooms. While studying with Sushruta, students used objects similar to diseased organs - plant fruits and bags filled with water. The art of bloodletting was learned on the vessels of dead animals and on the stems of water lilies, the extraction of solids - on panas fruits, dressings - on models, the catheterization technique - on an unhardened clay vessel filled with water. A student of medicine was required to know psychology, botany, biology, pharmacology, chemistry, and master all facets of the art of medicine. “A doctor, unskilled in operations, becomes confused at the patient’s bedside, like a cowardly soldier who finds himself in battle for the first time; a doctor who only knows how to operate and neglects theoretical information does not deserve respect and can even endanger the lives of kings. Each of them has only half of his art and is like a bird with only one wing,” as recorded in the Sushruta Samhita.

The ethical requirements for a healer are set out in the Charaka Samhita: “If you want to achieve success in your activities, wealth and glory of heaven after death... You must strive with all your soul to heal the sick. You should not betray your patients even at the cost of your own life. You must be reasonable and always strive to improve your knowledge. Nothing that happens in the house of a sick person should be told... to anyone who, using the knowledge gained, could harm the sick person or another." Thousands of kilometers from Greece and several centuries from Hippocrates, the ancient Indians came to the same conclusions . Doctors also adhered to ethical standards regarding payment for their work. It was forbidden to demand remuneration for treatment from the disadvantaged, the doctor’s friends and brahmins (priests). If wealthy people refused to pay for treatment, the healer was awarded all their property. For improper treatment, the doctor paid a fine, the amount of which depended on social status sick.

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The medical knowledge of the ancient Hindus traditionally included information about diseases of people, plants and animals. Medical essays contain detailed discussions about the youth and maturity of plants, the treatment of their diseases during wakefulness and “drowsiness,” the causes of wilting and falling leaves, and the influence of climate, wind and heat on the health of plants. It was prescribed to care for the plant like a person: cover its roots with medicinal clay, water it with water and milk. The description of grafting shoots from one tree onto another is similar to the description of surgical operations.

Traditionally, veterinary medicine was included in the system of medical knowledge of Ancient India; medical treatises often contained recommendations for the treatment of livestock, primarily cows. There are many Indian drawings in which hermits living in mountain huts are depicted surrounded by birds, snakes and various animals, mountains and forests.

For the first time in the century AD, hospitals were opened in India not only for people, but also for animals. Later, special works appeared on the treatment of horses and elephants. Indian works on veterinary medicine were translated into Arabic and spread to different countries of the East.

It was believed that Varuna's forgiveness could come from sacrifices and magic spells, as well as the performance of “healing hymns.” Here is a fragment of one of them: “You have a hundred, a thousand medicines, O king. In your waters is the nectar of immortality, in them is the mighty power of healing.” Varuna, endowed with colossal power, personified not only the forces of nature, but also justice. The appeals to him, known as the “penitential hymns” of the Rig Veda, are imbued with the spirit of repentance and a thirst for forgiveness: “Do not allow me, O king, to suffer for the sins of others!” Friendship with the deity, who takes a person into his heavenly boat, is sung as the highest happiness:

“When we two board the ship: Varuna and I, When we take the ship to the middle of the ocean, When we move along the surface of the waters, The two of us will swing on the swing...”

“The waters are full of healing, the waters drive away disease.” - says the Atharva Veda. It was believed that demons, the invasion of the human psyche by which Hindus explained mental illness, mental disorders and loss of reason, went into the water after a person recovered. According to Hindu beliefs, the waters of the sacred Ganges River cleanse from sins and relieve diseases.

An ancient Indian myth speaks of a golden age when people lived indefinitely and did not eat earthly food. But one person somehow ate a substance that appeared on the surface of the earth and fell ill. Hearing his lamentations, Brahma advised him to drink water, and the man was cured. Since then, Brahma has been considered the first doctor, and water the first medicine.

Treatment with water was characteristic of medical teachings in different countries. Ancient authors wrote that Egyptian priests used water to cure even serious diseases. After the translation of Indian medical texts into Arabic, this method of treatment was widely used in Eastern medicine. Great ruler India Ba-bur (1483-1530) in his memoirs (“Book of Babur” or “Babur-name”) recalled how he was treated by court doctors during the siege of Samarkand: “... I fell very seriously ill, so I I lost my tongue for four days, and they gave me water drop by drop from a piece of cotton wool... Those who stayed with me... lost hope that I would survive... After four or five days, my situation improved a little, but the tongue-tiedness remained, and after a few days I returned to my normal state.”

Ancient legends tell that Brahma himself did not invent anything during treatment, but simply recalled the ancient medical texts told to him. This happened, for example, during the battle between gods and demons, when Brahma was wounded in the cheek. The pain was so severe that he lost consciousness. When he woke up, he remembered the ancient medical text and cured himself.

According to the natural philosophical teachings of the Hindus, all three elements have both an organic and a cosmic aspect. For example, the wind in nature is a carrier of light and coolness; invisible, it carries powerful secret powers. In the human body, wind correlates with systems associated with movement: this is, first of all, the nervous system, but also blood circulation, digestion, excretion and metabolism. Bile is represented in nature by fire, and in the body it regulates “natural heat” and maintains a constant body temperature. It powers the heart, the main source of “natural heat,” or “warmth within the body.” This is the name given to the heat that occurs during digestion and proper metabolism. Its source is “life-giving juices” obtained from food. Phlegm in human nature is associated with soft substances and is considered to be similar to lubricating oil covering hard substances.

The Indian doctrine of “life-giving juices” that maintain body heat points to the hematopoietic function of the spleen: these juices, passing through the liver and spleen, turn pink and turn into blood. Next, from the blood arise the five foundations of the body - flesh, fat, bones, bone marrow and semen.

Vedic texts contain references to a variety of diseases of the eyes, ears, heart, stomach, lungs, skin, muscles and nervous system. About three hundred were listed various parts and organs human body. A sudden illness is considered a manifestation of an evil spirit, coming either from demons or from worms penetrating the body. Great importance is attached to diet, while special place Dietary prescriptions include milk, honey and rice. Later medical writings called milk a sacred drink that preserved a person’s strength and intelligence and protected him from disease. Honey has traditionally been included in recipes for medicines that cure many diseases. It was considered the main antidote for poisoning by mineral, plant and animal poisons.

In the mythology of ancient India, bees occupied a place of honor, since the god Vishnu, personifying the sky and the life of the Universe, was often depicted as a small bee resting in the cup of a lotus flower. Honey, as a nutritious and tasty food, has attracted people's attention since ancient times. Among the Stone Age drawings there is an image of a man surrounded by bees extracting honey from a hollow tree.

Extracts of medicinal plants were often used to prepare medicines. Their parts corresponded to the three elements. Thus, stems and branches corresponded to water, since liquid juices pass through them, flowers - to fire, which is characterized by light and color, leaves - to air, which sets the plant in motion. The healing properties of Indian medicines prepared from plants were known far beyond the borders of Ancient India: they were transported to the Mediterranean via sea and land trade routes, Central Asia and China, to many other countries of the Ancient World. The best medicinal plants were brought from the Himalayas.

The harmonious combination of air, fire and water is observed only in a few people. For the majority, one thing predominates, but this does not yet entail disease. Many reasons can lead to an imbalance between elements, primarily unrighteous acts. Uncleanliness and overeating lead to contamination of the body, are the causes of many diseases, and make a person defenseless against temptations.

If, due to unfavorable circumstances, one of the elements in the body begins to predominate excessively, illness occurs. The doctor’s task is to restore health to the patient by bringing all the elements into the necessary balance. The carriers of air, fire and water in the human body were considered to be prana, bile and mucus, respectively.

In the Vedic era, Ayurveda was created - “the science of longevity”. Indian medical writings are often called Ayurvedic. In India, the Brahmins were considered the guardians of Ayurvedic knowledge about a long life free from suffering.

The Ayurvedic system of medical knowledge was divided into 8 main sections, including: treatment of wounds; treatment of diseases related to the head area; treatment of diseases affecting the entire body; treatment of mental illness and mental disorders, which were attributed to the action of evil spirits. The doctrine of antidotes was given a special section.

Vedic texts contain references to a variety of diseases of the eyes, ears, heart, stomach, lungs, skin, muscles and nervous system. About three hundred different parts and organs of the human body are listed. A sudden illness is considered a manifestation of an evil spirit, coming either from demons or from worms penetrating the body. Great importance is attached to diet, with milk, honey and rice occupying a special place in dietary prescriptions. Later medical writings called milk a sacred drink that preserved a person’s strength and intelligence and protected him from disease. Honey has traditionally been included in recipes for medicines that cure many diseases. It was considered the main antidote for poisoning by mineral, plant and animal poisons.

Extracts of medicinal plants were often used to prepare medicines. The healing properties of Indian medicines prepared from plants were known far beyond the borders of Ancient India: they were transported by sea and land trade routes to the Mediterranean, Central Asia and China, and to many other countries of the Ancient World. The best medicinal plants were brought from the Himalayas.

Yoga as a way of management.

Information about yoga was collected in the 3rd century. BC. Indian sage Patanjali in the book “Yoga Sutras”. In this collection, the worldview of yogis, the system of breathing and physical exercises are presented in the form of short sayings - sutras. As a rule, modern ideas about yoga place great importance on physical training. At the same time, the philosophical aspect of the doctrine is often not taken into account.

Yogic philosophy strives to lead a person to harmony and balance not only physical exercise, but the entire worldview system. “A clear, cheerful and happy mood of mind,” yoga teaches, “creates normal functioning physical body; a depressed state of mind, melancholy, torment, fear, hatred, jealousy and anger also affect the body and cause physical disharmony and temporary illness in it.”

Medical treatises of Ancient India.

The medicines used by Indian medicine were prepared from products of plant, mineral and animal origin. Big role Noble metals played a role in the art of healing. The composition of ointments often included zinc, lead, sulfur, antimony, and ammonia, but mercury and its salts were most often used. The widespread use of mercury in ancient Indian medicine was associated with high level development of alchemy. The combination of mercury and sulfur was supposed to open the way to obtaining the elixir of immortality. Alchemical information was contained mainly in medical texts.

Charaka and Sushruta are the great doctors of Ancient India.

The main directions of the art of healing of the ancient Hindus are reflected in the medical treatises “Charaka Samhita” - on internal diseases (I-II centuries BC), and “Sushruta Samhita” - on surgery (IV century AD) . The first treatise belongs to Charaka, the great physician of Ancient India. Much attention in this essay is paid to the diagnosis of the disease: the doctor had to take into account the patient’s age, his physical characteristics, living conditions, habits, profession, nutrition, climate and area. It was necessary to carefully examine the urine and body secretions, check sensitivity to various irritants, muscle strength, voice, memory, and pulse. It is interesting to note that the Charaka Samhita mentions such cases when a drop of blood taken from a patient should be examined, and also describes methods of actively influencing the body in order to aggravate the disease for a short period of time to identify its symptoms.

Charaka gave a detailed description of the methods of treating internal diseases, including plague, smallpox, malaria, cholera, and tuberculosis. The treatise contains sections on anatomy and the art of bloodletting.

The author of the treatise “Sushruta Samhita” was another great Indian physician, Sushruta. The medical information in his treatise consisted of six sections, the first of which contains a special section on surgery: the author considered it the most important part of medicine. In addition, the treatise contains information on anatomy, therapy, the doctrine of poisons and antidotes, as well as the treatment of eye diseases.

Medical treatises constantly emphasize that a real doctor, in addition to good knowledge theory and practice must have moral virtues: selflessness, honesty, courage, self-control. Medicine requires greater moral fortitude from a person than other professions. Duty to the patient should be placed above personal interest. In the case of an incurable disease, the doctor must honestly admit his powerlessness. Prescriptions medical ethics touched and appearance doctor: it was required that “a doctor who wants to be successful in practice should be healthy, neat, modest, patient, wear a short-cropped beard, carefully cleaned, trimmed nails, white clothes scented with incense, leave the house only with a stick and umbrella and especially avoided chatter.”

Surgery.

Surgery was the branch of medical art in which India surpassed many countries of the ancient world. Sushruta called surgery “the first and best of all medical sciences, the precious work of heaven and the sure source of glory.” He described more than 300 operations, over 120 medical instruments and more than 650 medicines. The anatomical knowledge of the doctors of Ancient India can be judged by the fact that Sushruta’s work lists 300 bones, 500 muscles, more than 700 vessels and about 100 joints.

Indian surgeons were especially good at plastic surgery on the face. Doctors knew how to restore noses, lips and ears that were lost or mutilated in battle or by court verdict. In this area, Indian surgery was ahead of European surgery until the 18th century. European surgeons learned from the Indians the art of rhinoplasty (from the Greek “rhinos” - nose) - restoring a lost nose. This method is described in detail in Sushruta’s treatise and went down in the history of medicine under the name “Indian method”: the nose was restored using a flap of skin cut from the forehead or cheek.

No less brilliant was the operation to remove the clouded lens of the eye - cataract. Indian surgeons were able to achieve meticulous cleanliness during operations. Experienced blacksmiths made surgical instruments from steel, not copper or bronze, as in other countries of the ancient world. These tools were stored in special wooden boxes and were sharpened so that they could cut hair. Before the operation, they were disinfected with plant juices, washed in hot water, and calcined over a fire. However, the modern term “disinfection” does not quite fit these actions. The impact of fire and water on the doctor's instruments necessarily accompanied treatment like any sacred art.