Through the mists of time: Sushrutha, an enigma revisited
Authors
Philip Puthumana
Department of Plastic and Microvascular Surgery, Little Flower Hospital and Research Centre, Angamaly, Kerala, India
Keywords:
Bower manuscript, history of plastic surgery, Sushrutha
Abstract
Sushrutha had been viewed in textbooks of plastic surgery as belonging to the caste of potters who performed surgery in India. We have examined the available source documents and other references to the technology of the period to examine this assertion and are convinced that there is no evidence to support this. The period, technology and geographic references in Sushrutha Samhitha are correlated with settled positions on these to arrive at an understanding of the time and knowledge which is described. Source of erroneous interpretation of Sushrutha as a potter is also examined and clarified.
Keywords: Bower manuscript, history of plastic surgery, Sushrutha
Author Biography
Philip Puthumana, Department of Plastic and Microvascular Surgery, Little Flower Hospital and Research Centre, Angamaly, Kerala, India
Click on "Archives" to access the full archive of scientific preprints. You may use the categories and the search functionality to find select preprints you're interested in.
