A TWELFTH CENTURY HOSPITAL AT POLONNARUVA AND MEDICAL AND SURGICAL EQUIPMENT

A TWELFTH CENTURY HOSPITAL AT POLONNARUVA AND MEDICAL AND SURGICAL EQUIPMENT FOUND THEREIN (Part 2).

P.N.PREMATILLEKE and A.P.R.ALUWIHARE

Surgery• Indian Subcontinent from before the onset of the

Christian Era -Susrutha• Surgery is known to have existed as a science in Greek

times • Surgical type instruments in:-• Taxila, instruments from Sirkat. • Models on Arab instruments are on display in Kuwait• Roman Empire surgery -instruments were found in

Pompeii, In Britain are examples on Roman era instruments

• Surgery was known in China, Eqypt

Surgery is one of the main branch of Ayurveda. Susrut is called as Father of Surgery, his famous treatise “Susrut Samhita” is an ancient authoritative book on Surgery. There are many significant features of Ayurvedic Surgery one of them is Anushastra karma i.e. minimal invasive para-surgical measure. The Kshara karma is one of the Anushastra karma.

Susrutha (approx 2000 yrs ago)• -Kshara Suthra thread and fistula

• -training• -short finger nails and hair• -research-• -practice first on fruit• -invisible organisms that spread ‘infection’• -Forehead rhinoplasty

Records (1)

Records (2)

KSHARA SUTHRA

SriLanka-less known

Practice on lotus leaves!(Susrutha, Mango/Pears

Surgery- Sri Lanka

• Kings Buddhadasa and Parakramabahu?• Descriptions like in India- ? Copied or real• Accounts in Chulawamsa and other texts• Accounts by Budddhagosa• FINDING INSTRUMENTS VALIDATES TRUTH OF

TEXTS AND THAT OPERATIONS WERE DONE

?H’s

‘Grinders’

BETEL! Betel and tobacco leaf, Calcium Hydroxide, Areconut

SPOON

Weighing ‘machines’

- Scales

Probes/Applicators

Susrutha/Hindus

‘Hindu’ instruments

Taxila

Roman

Forceps- long handle

Forceps- short jaw

Scissors- thick, metal handles

Scissors-wooden handle

Lance- wooden handle

Scalpel- wooden handle

Some references• Aluwihare A.P.R.(1983- 2001) Personal observations in Kuwait, Edinburgh, St Albans, Taxila, Sirkat and

Mohendajaro, Cairo, Naples and Pompeii, Xian,Lyon • Cassar, P.,(1974) Surgical instruments on a tomb slab in Roman Malta Med Hist. 18: 89-93• • Gazzaniga V, Serarcangeli C (1999)Surgical Roman instruments in the Museum of History of Medicine of

the University of Rome "La Sapienza" Med Secoli.;11:217-29• • Hamarneh,SK., Awad, HA.,( 1977)Early surgical instruments excavated in Old Cairo, Egypt. Int Surg. 62;

520-4• • Marshall, John H (1960) A Guide to Taxila Department of Archaeology, Pakistan; University Press

Cambridge• • Mukhopadhaya G (1914) The Surgical Instruments of the Hindus with a Comparative Study of the Greek,

Roman , Arab, and the Modern European Surgeons Volumes I and II University Press Calcutta• • Naqvi NH (2003) Surgical instruments in the Taxila Museum Med Hist. 47:89-98• • Prakash. UB., (1978) Shushruta of ancient India Surg Gynecol Obstet. 146; 263-72• • Premathilleke, L. & Aluwihare, A.P.R.(1990) Ancient hospitals of Sri Lanka, Built environment and surgical

systems; Ancient Ceylon; 10: 281-289.• • Prematilleke L., & Aluwihare A.P.R. (1995) Ancient Hospital Systems of Sri Lanka 767- 781 Colour Plates

Dr.M.S.Nagaraja Rao Festschrift Bangalore•

Why decline?-Lessons for today

• War• Disease• Shift of Capitals• Narrow mindedness of medical personnel-not

participating in national affairs• Infighting amongst medical professionals

Thank you