Paediatric & Gynaecological Considerations & Aphorisms in Ancient Indian Surgery- Based on Chapters 27-38 & 63-66 of Uttara-Tantra in Susruta Samhita: Part-9 (An Old and Rare Book)

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Foreword Carrying out their monumental and invaluable task of translating into English from the Sanskrit the great Susruta Samhita in order that the western historians may have a thorough knowledge of ancient Indian surgery, Professor G. D. Singhal and his colleagues are presenting us another volume of their true encyclopedia of Ancient Indian Surgery.

This sixth book being brought out in the series deals with the Pediatric and Gynecological Considerations and Aphorisms in A. I. S. Its sixteen chapters give us a deep and complete physiognomy of these specialties in the Ayurveda system, in those early years, with regard to surgery.

Susruta's concepts of the pediatric and gynecological diseases and their management give us a new outlook on this part of the history of medicine and will stimulate among historians comparative studies. between this ancient Indian surgery and the ancient and modern European medicine.

I am deeply honored, and especially pleased as a pediatrician to introduce this new volume to every scholar of the history of medicine throughout the world and I congratulate Dr. Singhal and his collaborators on this tremendous and praiseworthy contribution to the history of medicine.

Preface I am very happy to be associated with the labors of the learned scholars of Banaras Hindu University, under the Chief Editorship of Dr G, D. Singhal, who are bringing cut an authentic version of the Susruta Samhita, in a series of twelve self-contained volumes as Ancient Indian Surgery series and to contribute this preface to the volume entitled 'Pediatric and Gynecological Considerations and Aphorisms in Ancient Indian Surgery' by Dr. G. D. Singhal and Dr. Jyotir Mitra.

This undertaking has been long overdue. Dr. Singhal and his colleagues have endeavored to present the original Sanskrit text with a faithful English rendering, necessary annotations and thought-provoking suggestions for research. The value of these publications has already been emphasized by the medical historians of the eminence of Dr. Adalberto Pazzini, Dr. F. N. L. Poynter and Dr. N. H. Keswani, with all of whom I fully agree.

Non-availability of the original texts of Ayurveda Samhits to the medical historians of the West has often lead them to rely on indifferent translations which reached Europe through circuitous routes, often giving a distorted version, becoming corrupt on the way.

Introduction The Kaumara-tantra (Paediatrics and Gynecology) and Tantra-bhusana (Aphorisms) sections of Uttara-tantra, the sixth canto of Susruta Samhita consists of 12 and 4 chapters respectively.

Paediatrics is dealt with in the first eleven chapters (S. S. VI. 27-37). These describe the nine grahas, the superhuman agencies which afflict the children and produce various syndromes, their methodical origin, and mode of affliction, clinical features and management.

Gynecology has been described in one chapter (S. S. VI. 38) which deals with the 20 gynecological disorders, their etiology, diagnosis and management.

The Aphorisms portion consists of the last four chapters. (S. S. VI. 63-66) and compiles the various possible combinations of the tastes and dosas, measures to keep healthy and the maxims; this portion is as an epilogue to the whole treatise.

**Contents and Sample Pages**