[world-vedic] Indian, Arabic and Greek Medical Traditions

01-29-2000, 10:32 AM

Dear Friends,
A few years ago I wrote a paper for a course, comparing Indian and
Arabic
medical traditions. In my research I came across many references
indicating
that the Greeks derived much of their medical knowledge from India,
before
the time of Alexander. Below is a segment of the paper I wrote. I
apologize
for not having the complete references available. Hare Krsna.
Dhira Govinda (Ph.D)

"Medical history provides a natural link between Ayurveda and Islamic
medicine. Though many theorists assert that ancient India received its
medical knowledge from Greece and Persia, the available evidence makes
this
seem unlikely. Alexander, after his victory over Porus and before he
entered
India, assured his troops "that they were now going to enter those
famous
countries so abundant in riches, that even what they had found and seen
in
Persia would appear as nothing in comparison to them." Arrian further
informs
us that, in the expedition of Alexander to India, "the Grecian
physicians
found no remedy against the bites of snakes; but the Indians cured
those who
happened to fall under that misfortune. For this reason, Alexander,
having
all the most skillful Indians about his person, caused proclamation to
be
made throughout the camp, that whoever might be bitten by one of these
snakes
should forthwith repair to the royal pavillion to be cured. These
physicians
are also said to have made other cures. Alexander declared that if any
among
his retinue should feel themselves ill, they should see the Brahmanas,
who by
wonderful and even more than human means, could cure whatever condition
one
may come down with." Wise goes on to state that "the knowledge of the
ancient
sages of India was so extensive that their geometry, arithmetic, and
astronomy, surpassed that of Ptolemy; their music that of Pythagoras;
their
mechanics that of Archimedes; their theology that of Plato; and their
logic
that of Aristotle." This, and an abundance of other evidence, make it
doubtful that the ancient Indians learned their medical science from
the
Greeks or Persians.
Furthermore, Kaliph Al Mansur of Persia translated Ayurvedic
scriptures
from Sanskrit into Arabic in the 7th Century AD, and Kaliph
Haroun-al-Rashid
accepted the pre-eminence of Ayurvedic medicine and scholarship, and
imported
Hindu physicians to organize hospitals and medical schools in Baghdad.
It
seems doubtful that the Hindu physicians learned their medicine from
Persia, a
nd then the Persians had to import Hindus to reteach them their own
medical
system.
Rahman (1989) states that there were no hospitals in Arabia during
the
lifetime of Mohammad the Prophet. Shortly after Mohammad's departure,
and
after the Arabs' initial acquaintance with Greek medicine, Anushrawan
invited
medical practitioners from India to Iran, and a medical school was
established. This marked the beginning of the Muslims' brilliant
cultivation
of medical science. Said (1976) lists several Ayurvedic books that were
translated from Sanskrit into Arabic, including treatises on
gynecology,
psychology and psychedelic drugs. Also, Islamic medicine in India,
called
Yunani, clearly absorbed much of the original Ayurvedic system of
medicines.
Tibb, another form of medicine practiced by Muslims in India, has even
greater resemblance to Ayurveda than does Yunani, as Yunani is a
derivative
of Greek medicine (Basham). "