India can boast of one of the oldest medical systems in the world. Perusal of Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita provides us with some astounding insights and one cannot but wonder at the clinical acumen that was displayed in the ancient era. The problem that has dogged students of history of medicine in the country is the one that bedevils the historical record keeping which has never been a hallowed tradition in this country. Unsurprisingly authentic records appertaining to the ancient times are different to get by.
When I was researching into the history of insanity in the Ayurvedic and Unani traditions, I could only get hold of a very limited number of authenticated documents. However, there are three names from that era that are generally known to most medical students viz Charaka, Sushruta and Dhanwantari. What is more astounding though is how we have allowed a medical stalwart…
