Brief History of Medicine and Nursing In India INTRODUCTION: The history of medicine in India goes hack through the

centuries to about 3000 BC. The beginning are shrouded in thc mist of ancient myths. The experience and concern in health devclopmcnt date back go to vedic period between 30093? I400 B(;thc_lialyalleyfnilizaumi a_siiowcd ol" planned cities and practice ofenvironmental sanitation. The research studies from South Arikamedu (Pontlicliery) to north Mohenjodaro and Ilarappa had separate good water supply. The A\g{l/Ill)/\ and other system of medicine practiced during this time suggests thc development ofcomprehensivc concept ofhealth by the ancient sages of India. TRAI)I'I'IOl\ MI5I)ICINE AND SURGERY IN INDIA Indian medicine is ancient. Its earliest concepts are set out in the sacred writing called the Vedas. especially in the metrical passages ofthe__AtI1arvaved. \vhich may possibly dates as far back as the s'econtI millennium BC. According to a later writer, the system of medicine called Ayurveda was teecivetl by it Dhanvantari lroin Braliina and Dhanvantari is a god ofniedicine. THE GOLDEN PERIOD or |No'i'Ai~? Mt-:utcn\g The earliest records of Indian medicine are found in the sacred books Vedas. The) arc divided into four parts as: the Rig-veda. the Yajurveda_ the Sama-veda and the Atharva-veda. In the Rig-veda. disease was regarded as the result of divine wrath. The Atharva-veda contained innumerable ineantatiuns and charms for the practice of magic. disease, injuries, sanity. health and fertility supplement Vedas were also developed. Among these. Ayur-veda (Ayur means life and Veda' means to know the knowledge by which life can be prolonged or better understood) or science of life was given by Brahma. It contained eight parts that dealt with subjects such as medicine. surgery and childreifs diseases and stressed hygiene and

prevention ofillness. Indian scholars studied anatomy and physiology. Methods of diagnosis were can-efully worked out: a great number of remedies for diseases were listed with specic instructions for applying them. These medical scholars advocated cleanliness in the treatment of \vounds and massages for muscular troubles. 'l'\vo outstanding men of this period were Stlshruta and Charaka. Sushruta, known as father of surgery in India and Chztraka published an encyclopedia in medicine and helped to establish the practice of medicine on a high ethical basis. About MQQQ. Sushruta wrote a valuable book on medicine in which he described many sidrgieal operations including plastic surgery, cataract. amputations. brain tumors and cesarian etc. he enumerated and described l2l surgical instruments and advocated dissection. Antiseptic. surgery. anaesthesia, antidotes for poisons and vaccination were practices in India. Later years from these two mens writing we know that medicine and surgery were advanced to a high level and doctors and nurscs were to be high moral character. In India hospitals were large and well equipped and nurses were usually men or old women. In the Writings p2

history of nursing in india

In 1857 the India Mutiny turned Miss Nightingales interest to the health of the Army in India. It was for this purpose the Royal Commission was appointed in 1859. In 1868, a sanitary department was established. In March 1888, ten qualified British nurses arrived in India to look after the British Army in India. In 1905, during the British rule in India, missionary nurses arrived as members of Missionary Medical Association. This was the very start of formalized nursing service in India.

Gradually, the increasing need of adequately trained nurses led to creation of South India Examining Board in 1911 and the North India Examining Board in 1912. It was the mission hospital Nursing leaders who laid the foundation of systematic Nursing education in India. However, the mid India Board of Examination was started in 1934. But this was not regulated for registration. State-wise councils started developing from 1935 onwards. Indian Nursing Council (INC) Act was passed by the Parliament in 1947. The Nursing Council upgraded the educational requirements which permitted only matriculated candidates to seek admission to the schools. Now, India has State-wise registration councils in 19 states. ( TNAI yearbook 2000-2001). The Central Government granted an approval to the Bhore Committee's (1946) recommendations by starting two colleges of Nursing in Delhi (1946) and Vellore (1947). This provided university degree level courses. With the efforts of Professor S. Radhakrishnan (the then Chairman of University Education Commission), Nursing education in the country was integrated into the system of higher education. Over decades, there has been an improvement in the availability of nursing education in India. (http://www.peopletree.co.in/history.htm)