Shalya Chikitsa is a significant branch of Ayurvedic science, its best suited, when the problem is beyond just medicinal repair. The name of the sage-physician, Susruta, is synonymous with shalya tantra. His conceptions of anatomy, physiopathology and therapeutic strategies were of unparalleled brilliance, considering the early age in the history of mankind with no supportive knowledge base preceding his era. Susrutha was the first medical man who advocated and brought into practice the dissection of human cadavers by the students of surgery.
The very idea that in 1000 BC practical anatomical study was considered important itself is noteworthy. His description of different parts of the body, muscles, bones, blood vessels, tissues, special spots of surgical importants, studies of foetus in womb and manipulating cases of obstructed lab our reflects the sound knowledge of surgeons of those days. The surgical techniques he put forth stood the test of time, all the operative manouvers carried out by the present day surgeons include one or more of these techniques only and not any thing beyond these., Susruta was the pioneer in arresting haemorrhage by apposition of the cut edges with stitches, application of styptic decoctions, by cauterisation with chemicals or heat, which the modem science adopted decades later.
Vedic knowledge was passed through cognition or by meditation. The knowledge and the technique of kshara, Agni karmas or the use of various methods of healing, prevention, longevity and surgery came through Divine revelation. These revelations were transcribed orally among the disciplines of dhanwanthari sampradaya like Aupadhanava, Aurabhra, Susruta and Paushkalavata etc who wrote treatises on Salyatantra (surgery) which became the sources of the later works on this subject.Then earliest scripts would have been written on perishable materials such as Taalpatra and were passed on to the next generation, and now that "divine science developed into a statutory, recognized medical system of health care. The Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) governs and recommends policies for the research and development of the system. In India, practitioners in Ayurveda undergo an 5 1/2 years of training including 1 year of internship wherein they earn the professional doctorate degree of Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery [B.A.MS.]. |
