,  AmMJa?ch',:f£s.rm'}    Ancient  and  Modern  Hindu  Medicine,  12$ 
Hindus  were  experts  in  forming  new  ears  and  noses,  owing  to  the 
punishment  so  common  then  in  India  of  cutting  off  the  nose  and 
ears.  Dr.  Hirschfeld,  of  Berlin,  is  quoted  as  saying  :  "  The  whole 
plastic  surgery  of  Europe  took  new  flight  when  these  cunning 
devices  of  Indian  workmen  became  known  to  us.  The  transplanting 
of  sensible  skin-flaps  is  also  an  entirely  Indian  method."  The 
Hindus  are  also  credited  with  discovering  the  art  of  cataract  couch- 
ing. 
In  Cesarean  section  and  other  abdominal  operations,  and  in  am- 
putations, they  are  said  to  have  been  experts.  Inoculation  for  small- 
pox is  said  to  have  been  known  to  them  at  a  very  early  date. 
According  to  Dr.  Wise,  the  Hindus  were  acquainted  with  practi- 
cal anatomy,  and  Sir  Bhagavat-Singh  Jee  says  that  they  taught  and 
practiced  the  dissection  of  the  human  body,  but  the  consensus  of 
opinion  seems  to  be  that  anatomy  was  the  weakest  side  of  Indian 
medicine.  The  following  method  of  studying  the  structure  of  the 
human  body  is  given : 
Let  the  physician  have  the  corpse,  together  with  its  receptacle, 
fastened  in  a  brook  to'  macerate.  At  the  end  of  seven  days  the 
corpse  should  be  rubbed  with  pieces  of  bark  and  all  the  external 
and  internal  parts  can  then  be  seen. 
The  human  body  is  said  to  consist  of  6  members,  the  4  extremities, 
the  trunk  and  the  head ;  and  has  7  membranes,  7  segments,  70 
vessels,  500  muscles,  900  sinews,  300  bones,  212  joints,  24  nerves, 
9  organs  of  sense,  etc.  The  vessels  contain  not  only  blood,  but 
carry  also  bile,  mucus  and  air. 
Very  explicit  directions  are  given  in  regard  to  the  surgeon  and  the 
way  in  which  he  is  to  acquire  manual  dexterity.  He  was  to 
practice  scission  or  cutting  on  flowers,  incision  on  skins  or  bladders 
filled  with  paste,  lancing  on  the  hollow  stalks  of  plants,  sutures  on 
skins,  ligatures  and  bandages  on  well-made  models  of  human  limbs. 
Susruta  directs  that  the  surgeon,  before  commencing  his  art,  should 
equip  himself  with  all  the  requisites,  such  as  the  instruments,  salts, 
bandages,  honey,  oil,  water,  etc.  He  should  have  practical  experi- 
ence in  his  art  and  should  have  seen  many  operations  performed  by 
others.  He  should  be  intelligent,  steady  and  skilful,  and  should 
have  a  light  hand.  He  should  have  steady  and  strong  attendants 
to  assist  him.  A  certain  incense  should  be  kept  burning  in  the 
operation-room.    The  surgeon  should  not  leave  his  patient  without 
