According to Columbia University Plastic surgery first performed in ancient India. No, you can not ignore this article leveling it as pseudo science. The article was not published by any religious or right wing political organisations but published on the website of the Department of Surgery, Columbia University. Yes, you read that department right, not any School of Hindu studies.
Columbia University Irving Medical Center‘s website says that,
“Think plastic surgery is a modern luxury? Think again. It turns out that the roots of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures go back more than 2500 years. It’s a common misconception that the “plastic” in “plastic surgery” refers to an artificial material when it actually derives from the Greek word, plastikos, meaning “to mold” or “to give form.”
The Sanskrit word Sushruta means, 'Su- well, and Shruta - informed', that is , 'a well informed or well learned person', According to Mahabharata Sushruta was a son of Sage Vishvamitra and decendent of Devodasa Dhanvantari, the king of Kashi a sacred Hindu place located in northern India, Varanashi. which coincides with the present recension of Sushruta Samhita. But Acharya Sushruta himself has not mentioned his birth place or proper introduction anywhere in Sushruta Samhita which create curiosity among various historical and ayurvedists. But he quoted south region of India.The Sushruta Samhita documented the etiology of more than 1,100 diseases, the use of hundreds of medicinal plants, and instructions for performing scores of surgical procedures – including three types of skin grafts and reconstruction of the nose.
Father of Surgery:
Bhoja-Prabandha confirms he suffered from intense headaches early in his life. Two brahmin surgeons from Ujjain made him unconscious using an anaesthetic powder called moha-churna, opened his cranial bone, removed a tumor and then gave him another powder called sanjivani to recover his consciousness.“Father of Surgery”, Susruta was an Indian sage/ surgeon who wrote Susruta Samhita.The Sushruta Samhita is are the collections of the work of the Dhanvantariya sampradaya (ancient surgical school) of Ayurveda. Acharya Sushruta has a great contribution towards Ayurveda by giving such great literature, his principles, diagnoses and treatment retain their potency and truth even after a couple of millennia. In the book,he is said to have described over 300 surgical procedures and about 120 surgical instruments (all his own inventions). He also classified surgeries into eight categories for a better understanding.
Article of Asopa Hospital & Research Center:
According to Asopa Hospital & Research Centre not only plastic surgery but also Cataract Surgery was first performed in India by Susruta. Susruta used a special tool called Jabamukhi Salaka which was used to loosen the lens and push the cataract out of the field of vision. The Asopa Hospital & Research Centre further claimed,The method of Plastic Surgery they used to performed dissimilar to the method we use today. In fact, some of the instruments and tools for surgery described in the book are still being developed in the 21st century. The surgeries were so renowned that Greek philosophers and scientists travelled to India to observe these surgeries being performed by Susruta.
Nature of Composition - Sushruta Samhita:
The Sushruta Samhita is a huge treatise on ancient Indian medicine. It was written in Sanskrit Language. It is voluminous text composed in bothe prose and poetry form. Poetry was known to serve as a memory aid. In Sushruta samhoita consists of 186 adhyayas / chapters. Again the adhyayas / chapters are divided into 6 sthana / sections, Each sthana or section is further divided into numerous sub chapters.
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A statue dedicated to the ancient Indian physician-surgeon Sushruta , at Royal Australian College.
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Special Features:
Sushruta Samhita stands strongly as a representative of one branch of ayurveda known as Shalya Chikitsa (Surgery).Plastic surgery is the unique contribution of Acharya Sushruta for which the whole world is indebted to him. Acharya Sushruta has mentioned Five types of primary bones, They are , Kapala (Flat bones), Ruchaka (teeth), Taruna (young), Valaya (curved or irregular bones) and Nalaka (tubular bones). Acharya Sushruta emphasizes in this text that he who studies any one science only, will not able to arrive at a correct decision, hence the physician should be know of relevant sister branches of science.
Surgical Instruments:
Acharya Sushruta has described 101 types of Yantras (blunt instruments) and 20 type of Shastras (sharp instruments). The unique classification of surgical instruments as Yantras and Shastras holds good even today. Human hand is considered to be the Pradhana Yantra ( most important instrument), because all the functions of the instruments are dependent on hand. Blunt surgical instruments are further divided in majore 6 categories.
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| Surgical Instruments Mentioned inSushruta Samhita Image Source: wikipedia |
This is why India is considered to be the Home of the Earliest School of Medicine and Surgery.
Answering The Critics:
On one hand, western universities including NASA are embraced inquire about on India's rich scientific legacy including Sanskrit, Yoga and Ayurveda, but here our own Indians are impugning.The critics and faultfinders of the antiquated scientific study of India should watch History Channel's sequential 'Ancient Aliens', additionally should read our Vedas, Puranas, Philosophy to comprehend India's rich logical legacy and commitment to the humanity.
one should not forget that India is considered to be the home of the earliest school of medicine.
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