By: Svetlana Pasarić |
Surgery in ancient civilizations |
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Sometimes we think alternative medicine only involves non-invasive methods - cleansing, application of herbs, fasting, massages, etc.
You might be surprised to learn that surgery is a part of alternative medicine.
Surgical procedures were not invented in the 20th century. Surgery is an ancient science which has existed for thousands of years.
The ancient Mayans, Incas, Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese and Indians had a good knowledge of surgery and applied it when it was needed.
Ancient civilizations used surgery for many purposes: for treating injuries and fractures, removing cysts and tumors, repairing teeth, in cases of complications during childbirth, even for cosmetic purposes.
Ancient surgeons had tools made of natural materials such as precious and semi-precious stones, wood, leaves, twigs, creepers.
To prevent pain and infection, they used herbs and acupuncture points. They knew how to stop bleeding during surgery.
What is surgery
Surgery (from the Greek cheirourgikē via Latin chirurgiae, meaning "hand work") is an ancient science of operating procedures that surgeon performed manually with the help of special tools.
In our time robotic surgery appeared (for example - Da Vinci, Zeus), where the operation is performed by robots.
A French surgeon from the 16thcentury Ambroise Pare said: "There are five duties of surgery: to remove what is superfluous, to restore what has been dislocated, to separate what has grown together, to reunite what has been divided, and to redress the defects of nature.”
Surgery is used for the following purposes:
- treatment and diagnosis of people
- on treatment of animals
- repairing teeth
- disease prevention
- to improving the appearance (cosmetic surgery)
Surgery in Ayurveda
The earliest records of surgery are found in ancient Ayurvedic texts.
Surgery (Shalya Chikitsa) is one of the eight branches of Ayurveda.
Founder of Ayurvedic surgery is Sushruta - an ancient wise man and physician.
In his treatise "Sushruta Samhita" we learn that several thousand years ago in India the most complex surgical procedures such as removal of gallstones and tumors were performed.
In the original text, "Sushruta Samhita" we find a variety of surgical techniques, including tumor surgery, treatment of fractures and injuries, help with complications during childbirth, bowel surgery, even cosmetic surgery.
Charaka, the most famous Ayurvedic physician also recommended surgery for many diseases. Among them are hemorrhoids, tumors, cysts, abscesses, rectal prolapses, stones, cataracts, urinary retention and some other health problems.
Instruments that were used by Ayurvedic physicians were made of stone, wood, twigs, leaves and other natural materials.
With many diseases which required emergency treatment, Ayurvedic surgery offered a quick and effective help.
Shalya Chikitsa was popular because it provided quick relief.
Interestingly, the very concept of plastic surgery reached the West through Ayurveda, after a local Ayurvedic physician reconstructed the nose of British soldier Kovaski.
Now Sushruta is considered the father of modern plastic surgery.
Surgery in ancient Egypt
Papyri found in Egypt confirm the fact that the ancient Egyptians had a great knowledge of anatomy and that they applied surgery.
The first treatise on surgery was written by Imhotep, a vizier of Pharaoh Djoser - a physician, priest, astronomer and architect.
Imhotep was so respected for his knowledge that he was believed to be an Egyptian god of medicine.
Ebers Papyrus (the oldest treatise on medicine since 1,500 BC) contains important medical information of the time - descriptions of diseases, recipes, a list of herbs and surgical procedures.
For example, it described how to treat crocodile bites and severe burns and how to operate on tumors and cysts.
The Edwin Smith papyrus (1,600 BC) described surgical procedures in the event of injury or trauma. The papyrus contains precise information about the anatomy and operations in different parts of the body, especially the spine.
To prevent infection during surgery, Egyptians used natural antiseptics such as willow leaves and bark.
Mayan surgery
The ancient Maya civilization was highly developed – Mayans were proficient in art, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy and construction.
Of course, such a culture had to have a good knowledge of medicine.
Medicine of the ancient Maya was a combination of science and religion. Only priests were allowed to treat people and they inherited their position and who received extensive training.
The Mayans were experienced in sewing wounds with human hair, treating fractures, even using plaster. They were also skilled dentists who made prostheses from jade and turquoise and used fillings made of pyrite.
For performing operations, they used obsidian blades. In some world famous clinics obsidian knives are still used today because they leave a thinner cut and help faster healing of wounds.
Traces of trepanation - opening the skull to perform brain surgery – were also found in the skulls of the ancient Maya.
Ancient Inca surgery
Ancient Incas also used surgery. Remember Tumi - famous medical instrument, with which the Incas performed brain operations.
Studies reveal that the Incas were experienced surgeons. The survival rate of patients after brain surgery was 80-90%.
Modern scientists believe this is a real "miracle" due to the fact that at that time there were no modern instruments and painkillers or medicines for bleeding and infection.
These ancient civilizations had extensive knowledge of medicine. They knew the herbs and were experienced in the preparation of natural remedies. They lived a healthy life. They were much healthier than we are now.
However, they knew and used the surgery when it was necessary.
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