Where did Medicinal Practices Begin?

Ayruvedic Medicine

6000 BCE

Hindu alternative medicine, a traditional naturalistic practice in medicine. Ayurvedic medicine focuses on the three fundamental elements, sprite, phlegm, and bile, and keeping a balance of these. An Ayurvedic practitioner cures diseases by restoring the equilibrium of these three elements with diets and natural drugs. (Prioreschi, 2000)

Trephination

3000 BCE

One of the earliest surgical operations performed in history was carried out in several parts of the world. This procedure was cutting a hole in a living skull, trepanning.

Mesopotamian Knowledge**

2200 BCE

The earliest known medical record, a Sumerian medical clay tablet, is considered the oldest known medical book. Link text

Indian Medicine

700 BCE

Medicine in India was built up by the founding father of Indian medicine, Sushruta. He was able to identify 1120 diseases, 760 medicinal drugs and 121 surgical instruments.Indian medicine theorized that the human body consisted of three substances and that in order to be healthy, a balance is required between these three substances, spirit, phlegm and bile.

Hippocrates **

500 BCE

Hippocrates practiced and taught medicine on the Greek Island of Kos. He was known for paying close attention to symptoms that occurred in diseases. The Hippocratic Oath was written by Hippocrates and is taken to establish a foundation for medicinal principles and practices. Link text

Chinese Book of Medicine

100 BCE

The book was actually called the Nei Ching. It describes the practice of acupuncture. At this point. acupuncture has already been traditionally used for a while now, this was just one of the first written documents of the practice. Acupunctures underlying theory is that having a healthy body all depends on one’s flow of energy. This flow of energy can be blocked by one of two things, the symptom from and illness or it could be the cause for an illness.

First Illustrated Manual of Surgery

1000

A physician from the middle east, Abul Kasim, wrote the first illustrated manual of surgery, the Al-Tasrif. This manual was copied and used for a long time, all throughout the Middle Ages. Some chapters in this manual give basic advice to dentists on how to perform basic procedures as well as dealing health concerns of the teeth. Abul’s interest in dental matters made him the first surgeon to take into concern dentistry.

The First Description of an Anesthetic

1265

The first description of an anesthetic was given in full detail. This anesthetic was much different than that of which we perform today. “The doctor should mix in a brass vessel, a specific proportion of opium, hemlock and the juice of mandragora, ivy and unripe mulberry. The mixture is to be boiled with a sponge, until all has been reduced and soaked up. The sponge should then be applied to the nostrils of the patient.