Ancient Surgical Equipment: Insights from a Twelfth Century Hospital at Polonnaruva (Part 2)

2. A TWELFTH CENTURY HOSPITAL AT POLONNARUVA AND MEDICAL AND SURGICAL EQUIPMENT FOUND THEREIN (Part 2). P.N.PREMATILLEKE and A.P.R.ALUWIHARE

3. 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

4. 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.

5. Susrutha (approx 2000 yrs ago) • -Kshara Suthra thread and fistula • -training • -short finger nails and hair • -research- • -practice first on fruit • -invisible organisms that spread ‘infection’ • -Forehead rhinoplasty

6. Records (1)

7. Records (2)

8. KSHARA SUTHRA

9. SriLanka-less known Practice on lotus leaves! (Susrutha, Mango/Pears

10. Surgery- Sri Lanka • 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

11. ?H’s

12. ‘Grinders’

13. BETEL! Betel and tobacco leaf, Calcium Hydroxide, Areconut

14. SPOON

15. Weighing ‘machines’- Scales

16. Probes/Applicators

17. Susrutha/Hindus

18. ‘Hindu’ instruments

19. Taxila

20. Roman

21. Forceps- long handle

22. Forceps- short jaw

23. Scissors- thick, metal handles

24. Scissors-wooden handle

25. Lance- wooden handle

26. Scalpel- wooden handle

27. Some references • Aluwihare A.P.R.(1983- 2001) Personal observations in Kuwait, Edinburgh, St Albans, Taxila, Sirkat and Mohendajaro, Cairo, Naples and Pompeii, Xian,Lyon • Cassar, P.,(1974) Surgical instruments on a tomb slab in Roman Malta Med Hist. 18: 89-93 • 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, Egypt.Int Surg. 62; 520-4 • 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 SurgGynecol 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.NagarajaRao Festschrift Bangalore

28. Why decline?-Lessons for today • War • Disease • Shift of Capitals • Narrow mindedness of medical personnel-not participating in national affairs • Infighting amongst medical professionals

29. Thank you