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
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-training
-short finger nails and hair
-research-practice first on fruit
-invisible organisms that spread ‘infection’
-Forehead rhinoplasty
Records (1)
Records (2)
KSHARA SUTHRA
SriLankaless known
Practice on
lotus leaves!
(Susrutha,
Mango/Pears
Surgery- Sri Lanka
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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
Scalpelwooden
handle
Some references
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Aluwihare A.P.R.(1983- 2001) Personal observations in Kuwait, Edinburgh, St Albans, Taxila, Sirkat and
Mohendajaro, Cairo, Naples and Pompeii, Xian,Lyon
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Cassar, P.,(1974) Surgical instruments on a tomb slab in Roman Malta Med Hist. 18: 89-93
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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,
520-4
Egypt. Int Surg. 62;
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
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War
Disease
Shift of Capitals
Narrow mindedness of medical personnel-not
participating in national affairs
• Infighting amongst medical professionals
Thank you