Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Day 14 April..Father of our Constituition

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the man behind the drafting and formation of the Indian Constitution, was not only a learned scholar and an eminent jurist but also a revolutionary against social evils like untouchability and caste system.

Born on 14 April 1891 in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was the fourteenth child of his parents
He was the victim of religious untouchability by birth. 
Education of B.R. Ambedkar
Though B.R. Ambedkar was born in a family that was deprived socially as well as economically, he had great interest in education. There were special schools run by the Government for educating children of Army personnel and Ambedkar was lucky to get admission in one of those schools. His higher education continued in Elphinstone College. Political Science and Economics were the subjects in which he graduated from the Bombay University in 1912. He acquired a job in Baroda and it was the Maharaja of Baroda, who awarded him a scholarship to go for higher education to the United States of America.

Social Reforms and Political Life of B.R. Ambedkar.
Untouchability and caste system were the two social evils that had haunted Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
 He had criticized the Indian National Congress as well as the British Raj for not being able to curb the problem of caste discrimination and untouchability. His staunch stance against the orthodox authorities in India made him quite unpopular with the politicians of those times. There were no considerable changes that were evident in the social system of India. Gandhiji had rather started a fast unto death campaign when Ambedkar demanded separate electorates for the backward classes in society.


B.R. Ambedkar and Drafting of the Indian Constitution

The most important thing for which Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is known all throughout India is that he was designer and formulator of the Indian Constitution.His stint in Indian politics too did not last for a long time. His resignation from the Cabinet came in the year 1951. He contested for the Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate in 1952 but was unfortunately defeated. However, he became a member of the Rajya Sabha the same year.With passage of time, Ambedkar's interest from politics started to shift and he aligned himself to Buddhism.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was a scholarly person and had written several books that dealt with myriad topics ranging from politics to Buddhism, from castes in India to important political figures in India.

CURRENCY QUIZ

"I'm France, the land of Eiffel Tower and Zizou Zidane. My currency is:"
Choose one of the following:
franc
euro
pound
dollar

2):"I'm the United Kingdom, the land of Big Ben and Beckham. My currency is:"
Choose one of the following:
pound
euro
kroner
yuan

3): I'm the United States, the land of Walt Disney and the Grand Canyon. My currency is:"
Choose one of the following:
euro
yen
peso
dollar
4):"I'm Argentina, the land of Maradona and the Pampas grasslands. My currency is:"

Choose one of the following:
dinar
dollar
peso
real
5):
"I'm Brazil, the land of Ronaldinho and the Amazon rain forest. My currency is:"
Choose one of the following:
real
pound
euro
franc
6):"I'm China, the land of the Great Wall and the fastest train in the world, the Maglev. My currency is:"
Choose one of the following:
yen
rupiah
yuan
dollar

Yuri Gagarin 's historic space flight

On a sunny morning 50 years ago, the 27-year-old carpenter's son turned Soviet cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, stunned the world. Blasting off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Gagarin became the first human to travel into space. His journey aboard the Vostok spacecraft was unquestionably one of the great achievements of the 20th century and a landmark in human history. Coming as it did during the height of Cold War, Gagarin's success appeared to establish his country's supremacy in space technology. Just four months later, another Soviet cosmonaut, Gherman Titov, spent more than 25 hours in space and completed 17 orbits of the earth. America's muted response saw Alan Shepard carrying out a sub-orbital flight lasting just 15 minutes in May 1961. The United States could redeem some pride only in February 1962 when John Glenn completed three orbits in space. Just a month after Gagarin's historic space voyage, President John F. Kennedy declared that the U.S. would put a man on the Moon by the end of the decade. The space race was on — and it was a race that America won hands down. In July 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin became the first men to set foot on another world. Ten more of their compatriots too left their footprints on the Moon.

But the U.S. Congress and the American public were not willing to continue funding further manned space exploration on the same scale. The U.S. space agency then turned to building the world's first reusable spacecraft that could take humans and cargo into orbit. The first space shuttle, Columbia, flew in 1981, followed by four of its siblings, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour. America's dominance in space has continued unabated after the Soviet Union's break-up. But with space programmes becoming more demanding, many major space initiatives are now joint endeavours involving many countries. The launch of the Hubble space telescope in 1990, a joint venture between the U.S.'s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency was the first such initiative. The International Space Station (ISS) involving 16 countries, including the U.S. and Russia, is another excellent example. Even India's Chandrayaan-1 carried payloads from other countries. After NASA mothballs its shuttle programme this year, Russia's Soyuz spacecraft will be the only way that astronauts can travel to the ISS. The interest in manned spaceflight appears to be flagging in both the U.S. and Russia. It is, however, on the rise in China and India. Fifty years after man first ventured beyond the confines of Planet Earth, it is perhaps time for the spacefaring nations of the world to come together on a bold programme of manned space exploration.

What job do I have?

I wear a hard hat to protect me from falling pieces. I spray a hose to help a burning house. What job do I have?

Chef


Firefighter


Pilot


Athlete

2. I go to school every day. I help children learn different things such as math, science, history, and geography. What job do I have?

Teacher


Police Officer


Firefighter


Magician

3. I listen to your heartbeat when you come in for a check-up. I give you medicine when you are sick. What job do I have?

Baker


Police Officer


Doctor


Teacher

4. I usually drive around in a car with flashing lights on top. I help protect people who are in trouble and try to enforce the law. What job do I have?

Zoo Keeper


Doctor


Miner


Police Officer

5. I can usually be found at the store. You cannot bring your groceries home without paying me first. What job do I have?

Firefighter


Cashier


Baker


Waiter/Waitress

6. I wear a helmet with a light on top. I usually work in underground caves in search of things like coal or gold. What job do I have?

Baker


Miner


Chef


Athlete

7. I am responsible for driving a train down the tracks to bring people and supplies from one place to another. What job do I have?

Conductor/Engineer


Teacher


Baker


Miner

8. My store always smells fresh and delicious. I make bread, cookies, and muffins for families to eat. What job do I have?

Baker


Librarian


Farmer


Pilot

9. I help feed our population. I use tractors and tools to help me grow wheat, vegetables, and raise animals. What job do I have?

Waiter/Waitress


Pilot


Miner


Farmer


10. I take your order for breakfast, lunch, or supper. Once the chef makes the food, I bring it out to you. What job do I have?

Pilot


Teacher


Waiter/Waitress


Farmer

For answers go to this site...
http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz2484801c73008.html

Quiz for Children...Festivals of India.( Site for more quizzes)

<http://www.pitara.com/activities/quiz/online.asp?QName=occasions&QNum=1>

Why is Ram Navami celebrated?

Choose one of the following:
1):It marks the birth of Lord Rama
2):It marks the return of Lord Rama after exile
3):It marks the beginning of the harvest season
4)It marks the marriage of Lord Rama
Q:2)
Which festival is also popularly called the "Festival of lights"?
Choose one of the following:
Onam
Deepawali
Dussehra
Guru Nanak Jayanti
3):
India Quiz : Holi's Here!
The festival of Holi marks the end of winter and the beginning of –
Choose one of the following:
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Monsoon
3)Q:
When was Christmas first celebrated?

Choose one of the following:
The year after Jesus was crucified
Around 100 AD
4th Century
1935
4):
Where did the Christmas tree tradition originate?

Choose one of the following:
Germany
Israel
New England
Scandinavia
5)Q:
Montreal lies on the junction of two rivers. One of them is the St Lawrence. Which is the other?
Choose one of the following:
Ottawa
Mississippi
Nile
Missouri












Ayurveda - Ayurveda Healing the Mind



by Prabhath P



Ayurveda seeks to remove the root causes of mental illness in a holistic way. Its focus is on prevention through correct diet, exercise, meditation and cultivation of the right attitude. It offers a complex array of therapeutic techniques and natural medicines to restore balance and harmony.

In an increasingly insecure and chaotic world, many people are finding conventional psychiatry and psychology inadequate for healing the mind marred by constant stress.


Concepts of Mental Health in Ayurveda


The ancient system of ayurveda (science of life) offers a holistic approach to mental health that integrates the mind, body and soul. Sushruta, the ancient exponent of ayurveda, defines health as svasthya-a state of total biological equilibrium, where the sensory, mental, emotional and spiritual elements are harmoniously balanced. Ayurvedic theory of health is based on tridosha (primary life forces or biological humours). The five elements (panchabhuta) combine in pairs to constitute the three doshas-vata (ether and air), pitta (water and fire) and kapha (water and earth). The combination of these doshas inherited at birth indicates an individual's unique constitution. The dynamic balance of tridoshas creates health.


The three gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas) are connected to tridosha in ayurveda. According to S. K. Ramachandra Rao, Ayurveda Academy, Bangalore, "The three gunas together are responsible for the existential, experiential, evaluative and transactional dimensions, each of which may serve as a motivational source of stress." The ideal state of mind is sattvic, marked by equanimity. An agitated mind is in the rajasic state, while the lethargic and gloomy mind is in the grips of tamas.


The accumulation of toxins in the body is termed ama. Psychologically, ama arises from holding on to negative emotions and undigested experiences. According to Dr. Deepak Chopra, who has popularized ayurveda worldwide, "The guiding principle of ayurveda is that the mind exerts the deepest influence on the body, and freedom from sickness depends upon contacting our own awareness, bringing it into balance and extending that balance to the body."
Elements of Ayurvedic Psychology


Charaka in his treatise Charaka Samhita, describes eight essential psychological factors that are negatively affected in various ways in all psychiatric disorders. The psychopathological condition is a function of these factors, which are manas (mind), buddhi, smriti (memory), sajna jnana (orientation and responsiveness), bhakti (devotion), shila (habits), cheshta (psychomotor activity) and achara (conduct). Compared to other major ayurvedic texts like Sushruta Samhita, and Ashtanga Hrdayam, Charaka Samhita gives more emphasis to the view of life as a self-aware field of pure consciousness and natural intelligence where the knower and the known are one.


Primary psychological conditions caused purely by mental disorders are kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobh (greed), moha (delusion), irshya (jealousy), mana (pride), mada (euphoria), shoka (sorrow, grief), chinta (anxiety), udvega (neurosis), bhaya (fear), harsha (happiness). The psychiatric conditions caused by a combination of physical and mental (psycho-physical) disorders are unmada (psychosis), apasmara (convulsive disorder), apatantraka (hysteria), atattvabhinvesha (obsession), bhrama (illusion, vertigo), tandra (drowsiness), klama (neurasthenia), mada-murchha-sanyasa (loss of sensory perception leading to coma), madatyaya (alcoholism), gadodvega (hypochondriasis).


Ayurvedic Treatment Methods

The focus is on prevention of illness, promotion of health and longevity for which Charaka and Susruta recommended a life-style consisting of dinacharya (daily) and ritucharya (seasonal activities), involving diet (ahara tatva), vyayam (exercise), meditation and virtuous qualities (sadvrutta). Maharishi Ayurveda prescribes the ayurvedic daily routine, beginning with abhyanga (oil massage), which removes toxins and stimulates the flow of natural intelligence in the body. Transcendental Medit-ation that dissolves deep-rooted stress and promotes harmony, creativity and clarity of mind through bliss consciousness, is an essential component of this routine. A proper diet in tune with the ayurvedic body type is also important.



Ayurvedic Medicines for Mental Health


In the words of Dr. Marc Halpern, "Ayurveda classifies herbs with a stabilizing effect on the mind as 'medhya rasayanas'. These herbs promote the intellect and deeply nourish the neurological tissues. They are nervine tonics... Ayurveda favors the use of combinations of herbs that meet the specific needs of each patient as no two patients present exactly the same condition"



These medicines act as specific molecular nutrients for the brain, promoting better mental health that leads to the alleviation of behavioral disorders. The medhya rasayanas enhance biological nourishment of the brain, producing tranquility of mind, concentration and improved memory. Ashwagandha and shankha pushpi have a secondary mild sedative effect. Others like calamus have a mild stimulating effect.


For more informaion contact:

Contact


Government Ayurveda Mental Hospital,

Kerala, 676 501. Ph: 0483- 274 2285



Dr. E. Surendran, MD, PhD,

Department of Kayachikitsa,

V.P.S.V Ayurveda College, Kottakkal, Kerala.

Email: aswins@sancharnet.in



National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore.

http://www.nimhans.kar.nic.in/


When the body, mind or spirit are out of balance with the larger environment, illness strikes. Healing, therefore, is the process of re-engineering the natural balance of the self.
 
 

Wellness or good health is that state of vibrant equipoise between the individual and the universe. A state in which the body, mind and spirit are free and fully expressive

Fathers of Medicine and Surgery'..CAPT AJIT VADAKAYIL

FATHERS OF SURGERY AND MEDICINE 4200 BC -- CAPT AJIT VADAKAYIL


FATHER OF SURGERY -- ACHARYA SUSHRUTA


FATHER OF MEDICINE -- ACHARYA CHARAKA.



Wheeler Wilcox: “India – The land of Vedas, the remarkable works contain not only religious ideas for a perfect life, but also facts which science has proved true. Electricity, radium, electronics, airship, all were known to the seers who founded the Vedas.

Sir W. Hunter, British Surgeon: “The surgery of the ancient Indian physicians was bold and skilful. A special branch of surgery was dedicated to rhinoplasty or operations for improving deformed ears, noses and forming new ones, which European surgeons have now borrowed.”



Today the white man has printed all over the place that a Greeko Hippocratus is the father of Medicine and another Greeko Hirophilus is the father of surgery-- both operating in 400 BC.

Well no matter what Vatican tries or Max Mueller or Macaulay tries-- truth can never be buried. It is the Internet age now. The age of peer reviewed medical magazines is dead. There were never ever witch doctors or shamans in India like the rest of the planet.
(This is a debatable point as all systems of medicine and surgery  are costly in India and even now; ie 2011 ptients do go to witch doctors)  This is my opinion.

The reason why Emperor Vikramaditya ruled in great harmony from Jerusalem to Urals to Vietnam in 7000 BC , is because he GAVE Medicine and Surgery. Even those days people had the commonsense to know that without health you are nobody. And India had those medicines in unlimited quantity--sustained by soil and climate.

Only India had the thousands of amazing herbs, botanical plants and colloidal minerals , by which the science of medicine works. The whole world knows this. There were no such plants or minerals in Egypt or Greece or elsewhere.

Even today 6000 years later, the science of Ayurveda is the same, with hardly any revisions . All the west knows about Ayurveda is what a pseudo Indian Deepak Chopra tell them on TV in fancy English.(No comment as I have not seen this show).

As early as 3000 BC, the Egyptian Pharoahs send word to the Dhanwantari hospitals in Kerala, when he wanted some medicinal herb or a physician sent urgently. The Pharoah used his marathon carrier pigeons with stopovers at Socotra and Laccadives. Some of the herbs were transplanted from Kerala at Socotra, and they are still there.

Both Sushruta and Charaka wrote their medical treatises in 4200 BC on the banks of the river Saraswati. In 4100 BC warrior sage Parashurama came to Kerala and annointed 108 idols of Ayurveda god Dhanwantari on the way. The Dhanwantari temple near Guruvayur , where all Kerala Arurvedic college doctors go after receiving their degree is to worship this 6000 year old idol. Dhanwantari is an avatar of Vishnu and the father of Ayurveda.

Sushruta was the son of Maharshi Vishwamitra. He wrote the SUSHRUTA SAMAHITA , which is the world's first book on the practise of Shalya ( Surgery ) in Sanskrit.


The English translation itself runs into 1800 pages. The original Sanskrit text contains 184 chapters . It deals with every facet of surgery including from Caesarian surgery, amputations, brain surgery, cataract surgery, piles, hernia, fibroids --right up to plastic surgery. His books deals with first aid, anti-toxins and child care too.

The present world may find this difficult to believe, but his surgical instrument diagrams are available in these books.







Vedic Indians never felt the need to patent knowledge, like greedy Yank pretender Edison . Edison had more patents for the mangy phonograph than the total number of fixed or movable parts it contained, out of which 6 are for the wooden cabinet! How pathetic! Knowledge to ancient Indians was like a song, which did NOT have to be recorded and patented for financial gain. It was for the audience to enjoy.

The drugs used by Sushruta were both of plant and animal origin. Animal origin means vaccination which Edward Jenner re-invented later in 1800 AD--or 5800 years later.

For a microscope they used a water drop as a spherical lens – to project all bacteria inside using a coherent narrow light beam beam as a HUGE shadows show on a screen behind.

Genetic defects and aberrations DNA blueprint, and its quantum healing using carrier sound mantras were known .



Sushruta made it compulsory for his surgeons in his school to have licences. It was compulsory to experiment on real human cadavers. He allowed lower caste Hindus into his school ( unlike Charaka )-- so that the higher castes who were squeamish to handle dead bodies could be exempted. Suturing would be done with compatible animal organic threads, which did NOT require removal. . Even today , 6000 years later , the Ayurveda stalwarts in Kerala Dhanwantari colleges are NOT from Brahmins or higher castes. Sushruta used alcohol and opium for anesthesia.



Sustruta's surgery texts were known to the Arabs, who traded with Kerala . Arabs did not steal the work. It was given to them free. The Europeans ( Greeks and Italians )stole the knowledge from the Arabs,and patented it for themselves in Latin.




Charaka was the author of the Charaka Samhita, which contained 120 chapters in Sanskrit. It deals extensively with diagnosis, as any idiot could do a cure once diagnosed.



He dealt with almost all present day illnesses. He knew the anatomy of the human body from the expertise of Sustruta. Charaka did not deal with cadavers and animal based medicines. He was purely onto Plants and herbs--thousands of them . He had terrific quantum botanical medicines and broad and narrow spectrum antibiotics.

Charaka believed in prevention and gave great importance to diet, hydration of body with low surface tension water/ veg juices , yoga and sleep ..

Today, these two great Vedic Maharshis cum seers , are hardly known by the ordinary Indian. The White west are happy in their contention that in 400 BC, the Greeks discovered Medicine and Surgery.

Both Charaka and Sushruta derived from Vedic wisdom of the Vedas written in 5000 BC. It speaks about chakras . DNA is referred to a Tvatsa in the Rig Veda--the blue print of double helix coiled serpents ,which gives shape to all living creatures and that which cannot be destroyed. The Yin-Yang cycle model of the universe is referred to a Tamas/ Rajas/ Sattva or Shiva's trident ( creator/ preserver/ destroyer ). The wave-particle duality is mentioned in Vedanta. Atharva veda gives the code for photosynthesis and talks in great detail about the cells. It must be remembered that Vedas are just a written form . The knowledge existed in the form of Sanskrit verses, which was handed down verbally from 9000 BC to 5000 BC by sages with amazing memories, and 12 strand DNA.

The Maharshis ( or Rishi among Rishis ) had 13 strand DNA , with the extra spiritual gene conferred by star dust or cosmic rays, which alter DNA and consciousness.-- which gave them teleportaion powers via wormholes , telepathy powers ,transmutation powers, antigravity powers and long life.. On Dec 21st 2012, it is expected that such cosmic rays will again bathe planet earth , after a gap of 12000 years. It must be noted that Astrology has survived in India for 12000 years. My own marriage happened after my parents matched 78 horoscopes of prospective girls, for the perfect match ( this is usual in India ).



And within 60 years of Independence and graduation form a lowborn, useless, smelly, black skinned coolie--Indians have put their flag on the moon. And computer programming and brainy codes are like breathing for the Indians.

As per the Bible and Vatican the cosmos and world was created on 23rd Oct 4004, at exactly 9 AM-- then how can Rig Veda be written in 5000 BC--pray? prithee?

CAPT AJIT VADAKAYIL

HIPPOCRATES....Father of Medicine

HIPPOCRATES
Father of Medicine in the Western World. As we saw from the postings on Sushruta and Charakan,  medicne and surgery was quite highly advanced in India.
Born in 460 B.C. - Died in 377 B.C.

Hippocrates (hih POK ruh teez) lived 400 years before the birth of Christ. He is known as the father of medicine because many of the things he discovered are still practiced today.

During the time when Hippocrates lived, people were very superstitious. * They believed there were four fluids in the body which matched four elements; earth, air, fire and water. They would carry sick people to the temple because they thought the god of medicine, Aesculapius (es kyoo LAY pe us) could heal them. They would chant magic words over the patient to try and heal them.
This practise still continues in places where MEDICARE is not available.

Hippocrates had observed many patients and carefully recorded their symptoms and the way their illnesses developed. He would look at the color of the skin, and how the eyes looked. He would look for fevers and chills. He described many illnesses including pneumonia, * tetanus, * tuberculosis, * arthritis, * mumps, * and malaria * .
YOU WILL OBSERVE THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TEACHINGS OF  HIPPOCRATE AND CHARAKA.

He told his students to carefully observe their patients and to learn from the things they had observed. He said the human body could heal itself and could return itself to good health. The patient was given something to relieve pain, but nothing else was done.

He told his patients they should eat a moderate amount of food; not too much and not too little. A moderate amount of exercise was recommended. Patients were encouraged to walk for exercise. (Life style changes, as we call it today).
Ancient Greek surgical instruments Doctors were told to make sure their hands were clean before they treated patients. He said the operating room should be well lighted and look cheerful.

The Hippocratic (hip uh CRAT ick) Oath was named for him. It included rules of conducts for doctors and even today doctors still honor a form of the oath.

 
Hippocrates was one of the earliest Psychologists.


Hippocritus and Democritus.


Hippocritus examining a boy.

Charaka and his compendium of diseases.Father of modern medicine.

Brief life history and work of Charaka, the father of modern medicine. 
Most of what is known about Indian medical science derives from this text and two others, the Susruta Samhita and the Ashtangahridaya Samhita.
Instead of appeasing deities and making sacrifices, practitioners were now looking at clinical problems and deciding how to treat them based on the specific disease. Perhaps most significant, they developed concepts of health and disease which they applied in practice.

The science of medicine became known as Ayurveda, or science of life. Just aswe now seek to explain a disease as a problem of nutrition or genetics, Ayurvedic physicians formed a medical theory that guided the way they evaluated patients and diseases.
Ayurveda proposed that human disorders arose from an imbalance of three vital substances, or humors, present in every living creature: wind, bile, and phlegm (that is, mucus). Ayurveda emphasized prevention through cleansing, exercise, diet, and good habits.

By the time Charaka was written, doctoring was recognized as a profession, and sons often followed in the footsteps of their fathers.
According to Charaka the medical profession was reserved for the highest castes (categories of a hereditary social order in South Asia). Because surgery was considered to be the work of low-caste persons such as barbers, thetext does not deal with surgery. Moreover, Indian physicians were not allowed to handle or to dissect corpses, which limited students' ways of learning about how the human body worked.
 It (Charaks Compendium of Diseases) is exhaustive work on therapeutic medicine, that is, the treatment of ailments curable by drugs and modification of diet and lifestyle. It also covers bodily structure and function, the cause, symptoms, and prognosis of disease, and the effect of disease on the body. Physicians were urged to examine patients carefully, and to tailor treatment not just to the disease but also to the person, climate, time of year, and environment. Thus, different people with identical symptoms might receive different treatments.

Charaks compendium...author lived about 500-600 yares after Sushrutha.

Sushruta was essentially a surgeon, but Charak, practsed medivine and
shoukd be considered 'The Father of Modern Medicine'.
Charaka with his students.

Sushruta ...Founder of Modern Surgery and Medicine

History of Medicine


The historic contribution of Sushruta,(600-500BC) circa the ancient

surgeon of India, is well recognised for his innovative

method of rhinoplasty,1 extracapsular lens extraction in

cataract,2 anal and dental surgeries.3, 4 However, little is

known regarding his vivid description of diabetes

(madhumeha),5 angina (hritshoola) and obesity (medoroga).6

Sushruta was the famous surgeon of Kashi,

Taught and practiced medicine around 600 BCat Kashi He was a disciple of

Correspondence and reprint requests: Dr Shridhar Dwivedi, Department of Medicine/Preventive Cardiology, University, College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, Shahdara, Delhi-110 095, India; E-mail: shridhar.dwivedi@gmail.com.

He was a disciple of Dhanvantri, who is recognised as the God of Medicine in India.He described Diabetes characterised by passing large amounts of urine like urine. He goes on to say that diabetes primarily affects obese people who are sedentary and emphasised the role of physical activity in amelioration of diabetes.
His advice to resort to physical exercise to prevent diabetes holds true even today at a time when we are facing an epidemic of diabetes and coronary artery disease worldwide.DISCOVERY OF THE HEART AND CIRCULATION.


Though the discovery of circulation is attributed to William Harvey; it is interesting to note that Sushruta had the knowledge of a structure like heart and its role in circulation of “vital fluids” through the ‘channels’.
ANGINA PECTORIS AND HYPERTENSION
His vivid account of angina (“hritshoola “ meaning heart pain) is marvellous. According to him angina is chest pain which is precordial, temporary, exertional, emotional, burning like and relieved by rest.
Besides these, he has also described the symptoms of “vatarakta”, which are similar to that of hypertension.
It is remarkable that Sushruta described these conditions, some 150 years before Greek physician Hippocrates
 






























































 . He


came to such a near perfect conclusion without


resorting to any kind of biochemical or imaging


procedures which were obviously non-existent at that


point of time.


In this context, it would be worthwhile to explore the


utility of the various plant based formulations


advocated by Sushruta to tackle the problem of


diabetes, angina and atherosclerotic disorders.8


REFERENCES


1. Eisenberg I. A history of rhinoplasty. South Afr Med J 1982;


82: 286-92.


2. Kansupada KB, Sassani JW. Sushruta, the father of Indian


surgery and ophthalmology. Doc Ophthalmol 1997; 93: 159-67.


3. Despande PJ, Sharma KR, Singh LM. Ambulatory treatment


Dhanwantari, who is recognised as the Lord diety of


Ayurveda (science of life) the Indian system of medicine.


The main vehicle of the transmission of knowledge


during that period was by oral method. The language


used was Sanskrit — the vedic language of that period


(2000-500 BC). The most authentic compilation of his


teachings and work is presently available in a treatise


called “Sushruta Samhita”. This contains 184 chapters


and description of 1120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants,


64 preparations from mineral sources and 57


preparations based on animal sources.7


Sushruta described diabetes (madhumeha) as a disease


characterised by passage of large amount of urine,


sweet in taste, hence the name “madhumeha” — honey


Sushruta–the ancient clinician and teacher par excellence-500 BC


[Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci 2007; 49: 243-244]


244


of fistula-in-ano: results in 400 cases. Indian J Surg 1975; 37:


85-9.


4. Tewari M, Shukla HS. Sushruta: The father of Indian surgery.


Indian J Surg 2005; 67: 229-30.


5. Krall LP, Levine R, Barnett D. The history of diabetes. In:


Kahn CR, Weir GC, editors Joslin’s Diabetes Mellitus; 13th


edn. Philadelphia: Lea and Feibiger; 1994: pp 1-2.


6. Dwivedi S, Chaturvedi A. Cardiology in ancient India. J


Indian College Cardiol 2000; 1: 8-15.


7. Sharma PV, translator and editor Sushruta Samhita: With


English Translation of Text and Dalhana’s Commentary along


with Critical Notes 3 Vols. Varanasi: Visvabharati; 2001: 24,


1983.


8. Dwivedi S. Putative use of Indian cardiovascular friendly


plants in preventive cardiology. Ann Natl Acad Med Sci


(India) 1996; 32: 159-75.

Louis Pasteur...Founder of Pasteurisatio and Anti rabic vaccination

LOUIS PASTEUR
•Born: 27 December 1822


•Birthplace: Dole, Jura, France


•Died: 28 September 1895 (complications from a series of strokes)


•Best Known As: Renowned inventor of pasteurization, Anti Rabic Vaccine and Germ theory of diseases.
Louis Pasteur is the 19th-century biologist and chemist whose work with germs and micro-organisms opened up new fields of scientific inquiry, aided industries (ranging from wine to silk), and made him one of the world's most celebrated scientists. Pasteur became a professor of chemistry at the University of Lille in 1854, and soon began studying fermentation in wine and beer. He became convinced "the germs of microscopic organisms abound in the surface of all objects, in the air and in water." He determined that such micro-organisms could be killed by heating liquid to 55 degrees Celsius (about 130 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher for short periods of time. This simple process became known as pasteurization, a process used today in milk and many other beverages. Pasteur then turned his attention to other aspects of microorganisms. He virtually created the science of immunology, showing that certain diseases (like rabies) could be prevented by vaccination (his term), that is, injecting animals with weakened forms of the disease. So great were Pasteur's successes that an international fund was raised to create the Louis Pasteur Institute in 1888. Pasteur worked with the institute until his death, and it continues today as a center of microbiology and immunology.