Veterinary Clinical Medicine-I (General and Systemic)

Animal ayurveda and developments during epic era

ANIMAL AYURVEDA & DEVELOPMENTS DURING EPIC ERA

Animal Ayurveda in Vedic period

• The Vedic Society in India was dominated by the ‘cow culture’ and Vedic people adored the cow and regarded it as the source of their good fortune, happiness, and good health (Rigveda 6.28.1, 6).
• It is believed that the religious priests, who had the responsibility of maintaining cattle, were the first animal healers or veterinarians.
• A number of Vedic hymns indicate medicinal values of the herbs and it is likely that these priests were also apt to it and used their medical knowledge to keep the sacred cattle free from ailments.
• The Atharvaveda mentions about healing herbs and drugs. The Ayurveda (the science of life) deals with the knowledge of medicine possessed by the Vedic saints.  

Epic period

• Ramayana is the oldest literature of Sanskrit, although no written history is available of that period. The treatment of various ailments using medicinal herbs and surgical procedures are described at length.
• Various uses of oil as preservative and treatment are mentioned.
• Surgical procedures like caesarean section, hysterectomy, etc. were known to be performed by trained vaidhyas or physicians.
• Fruit juices, flower extracts, and wines made from fruits were said to have great medicinal properties.
• Medicinal herbs like arjuna (Terminalia arjuna), kutaja (Holarrhena antidysenterica), kadamba (Anthocephalus cadamba), sarja (Vateria indica), neem (Azadirachta indica), ashoka (Saraca asoca), asana (Pterocarpus marsupium), etc. were used widely to cure ailments of men and animals.
• Diseases like leprosy, tuberculosis, mental disorders, etc. were described along with treatment. The herbs found in the mountains of Kanchanjunga and Kailash (now in China) are said to possess good medicinal quality.