Monday, 9 June 2014

INOCULATION INCEPTIVES FROM INDIA

English physician Jenner is credited with discovering vaccination on a scientific basis with his studies on small pox in 1796. Agroup of Fellow of Royal Society had earlier studied this method of inoculating people in the 1760s. Dr.J.Z.Howell , one of the members who was in the Bengal province formore than 10 years to study the Indian Vaccination method, lectured at the London Royal College of Physicians in 1767 "that nearly the same salutory method, now so happily persuaded in England,.......has the sanction of remotest antiquity(in India) illustrating the propriety of present practise."

Dr.J.Z.Howell writes the most detailed account for the college of Physicians in London in 1767(An account of the manner of inoculating for the small pox in the East Indies, by J.Z.Howells, F.R.S. addressed to the president and members of the college of physicians in London. He wrote,
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"Inoculation is performed in Indostan by a particular tribe of Brahmins, who are delegated annually for this service from the different colleges of Bindoobund, Elaabas and Benares, over all the distant provinces, divide them into small parties, of three or four each, they plan their travelling circuit in such wise as to arrive at the places of the operation consists only in abstaining for a month from fish, milk and ghee.When the brahmins begin to inoculate any who have not , on a strict scrutiny, duly observed the preparatory course enjoined in them. It is no uncommon thing for them to ask the parents how many pocks they choose their children should have."

On the efficiency of this practise Howell has the following to say :

"when the before recited treatment of the inoculation is strictly followed, it is next to a miracle to hear, that one in a million fails to recieving the infection, or of one that miscarries under it."

The sactya grantham-ancient brahman medical text 3,500 years old describing brain surgery and anasthetics, contains the following passages giving instruction on small pox vaccination.

"Take on the tip of a knife the contents of the inflammation, inject it into the arm of the man, mixing, it with his blood. A fever will follow but the malady will pass very easily and will create no complications."

Two of the more important medical arts of India - plastic surgery and inoculations against small pox. Both these were indigenously evolved and the accounts we have, come from Westerners sent out to study them. One of those curious facts was the inoculation against small pox disease, practised in both north and south india till it was banned or  disrupted by the English authorities in 1802-03. The ban was pronounced on ''humanitarian " grounds by Superintendent General of Vaccine.

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