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1This goes a long way to establish the fact that Hydropathy was known in India long before it was even dreamt of in the Western world. The ancient Hindu sages from time immemorial had been cognizant of the benefits of assage. massage and shampooing and taken to practising them. Whereas, it is but of late that the advantages of these methods have begun to be appreciated by the Western Medical School and it no longer hesitates to acknowledge them as efficacious therapeutic agents. The Science of begetting healthy and beautiful children, which is just beginning to receive atten- Genesiology. ... tion m other countries was not un- known to the ancient Hindus, and Manu in his Mdnava- dharma-Sdstra has laid down special injunctions which still form an integral part of the domestic life of the orthodox section of the community. As a matter of fact, they knew C Xll INTRODUCTION. that mental impressions of the parents at the time of con- ception exercise a great influence over the future destiny of the child in embryo. Thus we read in the Sastras : — "A woman^ though at a distance, conceives a child of the shape of the person she loves ardently and thinks of at the time. Just as a tree that grows is not different from the parent tree whether we plant a branch or sow a seed, so the main features of the child partake of the features of its father, though there might be slight changes due to the soil." The subtle soul co-operates with the Manas (the mind) ; the mind co-operates with the senses ; the senses perceive objects 3 all this takes place in little or no time. The above is the connection between the soul and objects around us. What is there which the mind cannot comprehend ? There- fore, wherever the mind enters, the soul follows it. "The soul being subtle, whenever it enters another soul, requires some time and an effort of the mind to know the latter. The soul, which intensely meditates on an object, assumes the shape of that object.'' etc, etc. In a book entitled Bhoja-Prabandha being a collection of the anecdotes realating to the reign Anaesthetics. ^^ ^^^^.^ p^^.^^ ^^ Pandita Ballala
2The soul, which intensely meditates on an object, assumes the shape of that object.'' etc, etc. In a book entitled Bhoja-Prabandha being a collection of the anecdotes realating to the reign Anaesthetics. ^^ ^^^^.^ p^^.^^ ^^ Pandita Ballala there is narrated the detail of an interesting surgical opera- tion which had been performed on the Raja, who was suf- fering from an excruciating pain in the head. All the medical aid obtaining at the same time was availed of, but in vain and his condition became quite critical when two brother physicians accidentally arrived in Dhar, who were duly called in. These physicians, after carefully examining the patient, held that unless surgically treated no relief could possibly be afforded to the Royal patient. Accordingly they administered an anaesthetic called Sammohini with * F/V/.?— -Baraha Mihir's Brihat Samhil^ Book, II. Chapter Ixxv- Verses 1-3. INTRODUCTION. XUl a view to render him insensible and, when completely, under the influence of the drug, they trephined his skull, lemoved the malignant portion of the brain, the actual seat of the complaint, closed and stitched up the opening and applied a healing balm to the wound. Then they adminis- tered a restoration known as Sanjivani to the patient, who, thereupon, regained consciousness and felt quite at ease. This incident (as narrated by Thakur Saheb 0/ Gondal in his Short History of Aryan Medical Science) goes to prove that the attendant physician of Buddha, is likewise recorded to have practised cranial surgery writh the greatest success. Instances of successful cases of abdominal section are also not rare. Thus it will appear that the ancient Indians knew and successfully practised surgical operations which are regarded now-a-days as the greatest triumphs of modern surgery. Tiie purpose of chloroform in the palmy days of yore was used to be served by Sammohini, but there is hardly a drug known to modern Pharmacopaeias, corresponding whith Sanjivani which certainly lessens the chances of deatlis that at present sometimes occur under anaesthetics. .. ^
3.. ^ Let them, who allege that the Hiudu system of the heal- ing Art is unscientific, now pause and reflect ere they make such an unwarranted and irresponsible assertion. How can a system which contains so accurate an account of the unions of bones and ligaments, anastomoses of nerves, veins and arteries, etc , and which assures the world of the existence of three crores and a half of veins and arteries in the human body giving facts and figures thereof with such mathe- matical precision, be regarded as being unscientific ? It is certainly an undeniable fact that one of the colossal achievements of modern Western Medical Science is its Anatomy; but the point at issue is whether the process of laying open the structures of the body issec xon. with the lancets, is at all a satisfactory method. For, is it not a fact that the finest and the XIV INTRODUCTION. minutest arteries of the skin are never disclosed, if the scalpel is used so recklessly to remove the skin all at once and not allowed to go deeper into the muscles to expose the minute branches of blood vessels and nerves that may happe i to lie embedded therein ? But, on the contrary, look at the process promulgated by Susruta for demonstrating practical Anatomy ! Its originality and perfection beats hollow all the known methods, although it was discovered in almost the pre-historic age. The process prescribed by the Hindu system is as follows : — Cover a dead body with Kusa grass and place it at the edge of the water of a rivulet. After three days take it out carefully, and gradually take off the succsesive layers of the epidermis and dermis and of the muscles beneath by gently and lightly rubbing it over with a soft brush. Thus the smallest and the thinnest arteries, which have by this time swelled and obtained a distinct existence are made palpable everywhere even to the minutest.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
1This goes a long way to establish the fact that Hydropathy was known in India long before it was even dreamt of in the Western world. The ancient Hindu sages from time immemorial had been cognizant of the benefits of assage. massage and shampooing and taken to practising them. Whereas, it is but of late that the advantages of these methods have begun to be appreciated by the Western Medical School and it no longer hesitates to acknowledge them as efficacious therapeutic agents. The Science of begetting healthy and beautiful children, which is just beginning to receive atten- Genesiology. ... tion m other countries was not un- known to the ancient Hindus, and Manu in his Mdnava- dharma-Sdstra has laid down special injunctions which still form an integral part of the domestic life of the orthodox section of the community. As a matter of fact, they knew C Xll INTRODUCTION. that mental impressions of the parents at the time of con- ception exercise a great influence over the future destiny of the child in embryo. Thus we read in the Sastras : — "A woman^ though at a distance, conceives a child of the shape of the person she loves ardently and thinks of at the time. Just as a tree that grows is not different from the parent tree whether we plant a branch or sow a seed, so the main features of the child partake of the features of its father, though there might be slight changes due to the soil." The subtle soul co-operates with the Manas (the mind) ; the mind co-operates with the senses ; the senses perceive objects 3 all this takes place in little or no time. The above is the connection between the soul and objects around us. What is there which the mind cannot comprehend ? There- fore, wherever the mind enters, the soul follows it. "The soul being subtle, whenever it enters another soul, requires some time and an effort of the mind to know the latter. The soul, which intensely meditates on an object, assumes the shape of that object.'' etc, etc. In a book entitled Bhoja-Prabandha being a collection of the anecdotes realating to the reign Anaesthetics. ^^ ^^^^.^ p^^.^^ ^^ Pandita Ballala
2The soul, which intensely meditates on an object, assumes the shape of that object.'' etc, etc. In a book entitled Bhoja-Prabandha being a collection of the anecdotes realating to the reign Anaesthetics. ^^ ^^^^.^ p^^.^^ ^^ Pandita Ballala there is narrated the detail of an interesting surgical opera- tion which had been performed on the Raja, who was suf- fering from an excruciating pain in the head. All the medical aid obtaining at the same time was availed of, but in vain and his condition became quite critical when two brother physicians accidentally arrived in Dhar, who were duly called in. These physicians, after carefully examining the patient, held that unless surgically treated no relief could possibly be afforded to the Royal patient. Accordingly they administered an anaesthetic called Sammohini with * F/V/.?— -Baraha Mihir's Brihat Samhil^ Book, II. Chapter Ixxv- Verses 1-3. INTRODUCTION. XUl a view to render him insensible and, when completely, under the influence of the drug, they trephined his skull, lemoved the malignant portion of the brain, the actual seat of the complaint, closed and stitched up the opening and applied a healing balm to the wound. Then they adminis- tered a restoration known as Sanjivani to the patient, who, thereupon, regained consciousness and felt quite at ease. This incident (as narrated by Thakur Saheb 0/ Gondal in his Short History of Aryan Medical Science) goes to prove that the attendant physician of Buddha, is likewise recorded to have practised cranial surgery writh the greatest success. Instances of successful cases of abdominal section are also not rare. Thus it will appear that the ancient Indians knew and successfully practised surgical operations which are regarded now-a-days as the greatest triumphs of modern surgery. Tiie purpose of chloroform in the palmy days of yore was used to be served by Sammohini, but there is hardly a drug known to modern Pharmacopaeias, corresponding whith Sanjivani which certainly lessens the chances of deatlis that at present sometimes occur under anaesthetics. .. ^
3.. ^ Let them, who allege that the Hiudu system of the heal- ing Art is unscientific, now pause and reflect ere they make such an unwarranted and irresponsible assertion. How can a system which contains so accurate an account of the unions of bones and ligaments, anastomoses of nerves, veins and arteries, etc , and which assures the world of the existence of three crores and a half of veins and arteries in the human body giving facts and figures thereof with such mathe- matical precision, be regarded as being unscientific ? It is certainly an undeniable fact that one of the colossal achievements of modern Western Medical Science is its Anatomy; but the point at issue is whether the process of laying open the structures of the body issec xon. with the lancets, is at all a satisfactory method. For, is it not a fact that the finest and the XIV INTRODUCTION. minutest arteries of the skin are never disclosed, if the scalpel is used so recklessly to remove the skin all at once and not allowed to go deeper into the muscles to expose the minute branches of blood vessels and nerves that may happe i to lie embedded therein ? But, on the contrary, look at the process promulgated by Susruta for demonstrating practical Anatomy ! Its originality and perfection beats hollow all the known methods, although it was discovered in almost the pre-historic age. The process prescribed by the Hindu system is as follows : — Cover a dead body with Kusa grass and place it at the edge of the water of a rivulet. After three days take it out carefully, and gradually take off the succsesive layers of the epidermis and dermis and of the muscles beneath by gently and lightly rubbing it over with a soft brush. Thus the smallest and the thinnest arteries, which have by this time swelled and obtained a distinct existence are made palpable everywhere even to the minutest.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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