Talk:State and Medicine of Ancient Times

Preface

As food, water, and clothing became the primary necessities of every individual, healthful living also held an important place. Public health depended not only on individuals but also on the state. Therefore, medical aid was an essential part of state administration.

For the preservation of health, the state first had to manage sanitation by establishing rules for waste disposal, drainage systems, food and water quality, and the prevention of infections.

Kautilya suggests eight kinds of providential visitations. They are:

1. Fire
2. Floods
3. Pestilential diseases
4. Famine
5. Rats
6. Tigers
7. Serpents
8. Demons

Measures to Avoid Pandemic

The duty of the king was to protect his people from these calamities. Whoever threw dirt in the street was fined one-eighth of a Pana, and anyone who caused water to collect in the street was fined one-fourth of a Pana. Those who committed these offenses on the king's road were punished with double fines. Fines ranging from one Pana and upwards were imposed on anyone who excreted feces in places of pilgrimage, water reservoirs, or royal buildings.

A watercourse from each house, at a distance of 3 Padas or 1-1/2 Alratnis from neighboring sites, was to be constructed with a sufficient slope so that water flowed continuously into a drain. Violation of this rule resulted in a fine of 54 Panas. If a pit, steps, watercourse, or other parts of a house caused obstruction or injury to a neighboring house, the owner was fined 12 Panas. If this annoyance involved feces or urine, the fine was doubled. Any watercourse or gutter that did not allow free water passage also incurred a fine of 12 Panas. Selling rotten flesh resulted in severe penalties, such as the amputation of limbs or a fine of 900 Panas.

Such remedial measures were taken to avoid pestilence. Physicians, with their medicines, ascetics, and prophets, with their purification ceremonies, were involved in overcoming pestilence. Similar measures were taken to combat epidemics. For cattle diseases, ceremonies were conducted in cow sheds and before family gods.

Corrective Measures

General Measures

The above-mentioned subject point out the preventive precautions but the state had to pay attention to the curative measures for this purpose. It had to establish and maintain hospitals and provide physicians civil, military, and veterinary doctors and surgeons along with nurses and midwives. The health of animals was equally important to the state as that of the people and for that purpose, every effort was made to render medical aid to them also. There were hospitals for the aged, the poor and the helpless, children, animals, and maternity hospitals for pregnant women. The king provided the orphans, the aged, the infirm, the afflicted, and the helpless with proper shelter and food. He shall also provide subsistence to helpless women when they are pregnant and even after giving birth to the babies.

Penalties for Harming Animals & Plants

The state made immense efforts in growing, preserving, and dispensing medicinal herbs. Severe punishments were inflicted on those who injured or showed cruelty towards plants or animals. For causing pain with sticks etc, to minor quadrupeds, one or two Pan was to be levied and for causing bleeding to the same, the fine shall be doubled. For cutting off the tender sprouts of fruit trees, flower trees, or shady trees in the parks near a city, a fine of 6 Panas was imposed. For cutting off the minor branches of the same tree, 2 Panas, and for cutting off the big branches 24 Panas was the fine inflicted. Cutting off the trunks of the same, the person was punished, with water, reinforcement, and felling the same shall be punished with equal intensity as the punishment incurred from other major damages. Every protection was offered to men, animals, carnivorous animals, and serpents.

Autopsy Procedures for Deciding Crime

The state protects agriculture from the molestation of oppressive fines, free labor, and taxes, herds of cattle from thieves, tigers, poisonous creatures, and cattle disease. The state enacted laws for the sale of drugs, spirits, and liquor and for postmortem examinations, and sexual contacts. On special occasions, people shall be allowed to manufacture white liquor and other kinds of liquor. Arista is a type of white liquor used in diseases. In death due to poison, the undigested portion of the meal may be examined in milk. The food extracted from the belly of the dead man is also thrown into the fire. If it makes a crta-crta sound and assumes the rainbow color, it can be declared as poisoned. In the cases when the belly gets burnt, although the rest of the body is reduced to ashes, the dead man's servants were examined as to any violent and cruel treatments they may have received by the hands of the dead.

Reproductive Measures

Laws were in place regarding sexual relations. If a man failed to lie with his wife after her menstrual bath or hid her menses, he was fined 96 Panas. Women who were infertile, afflicted, or unwilling could not be forced into relations. Fines were also imposed for inappropriate sexual acts with animals or idols.

Other Regulations

The state levied a tax on herbs and drugs and prescribed grave punishments for abortion, poisoning, rape, and sexual crimes. Those who trade in cotton threads, clothes, copper, brass, bronze, sandals, medicines, and liquor shall pay 40 Karas. No man can have sexual intercourse with any woman against her will. When a senseless man has sexual intercourse with beasts he shall be fined 12 Panas, when he commits the same act with idols of goddesses he shall be fined twice as much.

Conclusion

Even kings honored the medical profession, rewarding physicians and nurses after serious illnesses, battles, or successful deliveries. The medical profession was highly respected in ancient times, and studying ancient literature helped enhance and refine state laws regarding medical conditions.

References

1. Agniveśa, Caraka, Dṛḍhabala, and Shree Gulabkunverba Ayurvedic Society. The Caraka-Saṃhitā. ed., Shree Gulabkunverba Ayurvedic Society, 1949. 6 vols.