History of eye surgery in India

Eye surgery was done 200 years ago in India... You must be surprised to see the title! Absolutely, it often happens that when we tell about any ancient knowledge of India or any scholar of history, then there is usually no belief. Because our approach to look at Indian culture and history has been made so

As if we are nothing, whatever we have got is only and only due to western and English scholars. Whereas the reality is just the opposite. The West has gained a lot of knowledge from India's many texts and documents written by sages in esoteric language... but due to "slave mentality" we have forgotten our own knowledge and scholars.

Thanjavur is located in the south of India. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj established the Maratha Empire here in 1675 and handed over its command to his brother Venkoji. The Maratha rule in Thanjavur lasted almost till the end of the eighteenth century. During this time there was a learned king whose name was "Raja Sarfoji". He also ruled here a piece of this period from 1798 to 1832. Raja Sarfoji was considered to be a "Nyan Rog" specialist. Sri Baba Bhonsle, a descendant of Raja Sarfoji, along with Dr. R. Nagaswamy (He was the Chairman of the Department of Archeology, Government of Tamil Nadu and retired Vice Chancellor of Kancheepuram University) from Chennai's famous eye clinic "Shankara Nethralaya" teamed up with Dr. met with. Bhonsle sahib found pamphlets of patients treated at that time by Raja Sarfoji which were hand folded and written in Prakrit language.

According to the records received, Raja Sarfoji used to run an eye hospital by the name of "Dhanwantri Mahal" where his assistant was an English doctor, Macbean. Sushruta discovered 300 types of operation procedures. Sushruta had acquired special expertise in cosmetic surgery. Sushruta also used to do eye surgery. In Sushrutasamhita, the method of operation of cataract has been explained in detail. He also had the knowledge of giving birth through surgery. 

Eight types of surgical procedures are described in the Sushruta Samhita:

(1) piercing (for piercing)

(2) Vulnerable (for penetrating)

(3) Lekhya (to separate)

(4) Vedhya (to remove harmful substances from the body)

(5) Aishya (to find the wound in the pulse)

(6) Aharya (to remove harmful origins)

(7) Visravya (to remove liquid)

(8) Sivya (to sew wounds) 

In the Sushruta Samhita, there is a description of surgical removal of harmful fibers (tissues) produced due to cancer (cancer) in the intestines of man. Methods of childbirth (caesarean) by surgery are described. There is a mention of 'neuro-surgery', that is, surgery on the nerves for the relief of disease, and the detailed description of the most complicated operation of modern times 'plastic surgery' is in the book of Sushruta.

The elaborate methods of fracture, prosthesis, plastic surgery, dentistry, ophthalmology, cataract surgery, stone removal, mother's abdominal dissection, etc., are described in Sushruta Samhita.

In the Sushruta Samhita, there is a description of surgical removal of harmful fibers (tissues) produced due to cancer (cancer) in the intestines of man.

Methods of childbirth (caesarean) by surgery are described.

There is a mention of 'neuro-surgery', that is, surgery on the nerves for the relief of disease, and the detailed description of the most complicated operation of modern times 'plastic surgery' is in the book of Sushruta.

It also mentions the latest methods. There are many methods in relation to which even today's medical science is ignorant.

In short, it can be said that in ancient India, surgery was at a very advanced stage, while the rest of the world was completely unaware of this science.

In the Sushruta Samhita, the instruments (instruments) and weapons (instruments) necessary for surgical operations have also been described in detail. In this great book, 24 types of swastikas, 2 types of sandasas, 28 types of salaakas and 20 types of nadis (nadis) have been mentioned. Apart from these, twenty types of weapons (devices) have also been described for the operation of each part of the body. The eight types of surgical procedures that have been referred to above were performed with different tools and equipment. The names of the instruments (weapons) are as follows-

1. semibase,

2. Atimukh,

3. Arrah,

4. Badisha

5. dental cone,

6. Eshani,

7. tax bill,

8. Kritarika,

9. Kutharika,

10. Kush-Patra,

11. Mandalagra,

12. Ring,

13. fingernail

14. Arms,

15. Shararimukh,

16. List,

17. Trikurchkar,

18. Utpal Patra,

19. Old letter,

20. oblique

21. Salary Sheet

*This is just a collection of information from ayurvedic books

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Reference : 

Ayurvndana

Samagrabharat

Sushruta Samhita

NCBI

PUBMED