Prehistoric medicine: Say no to plagiarism. Get Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay The “art of healing” began thousands of years ago with the innovations of primitive man trying to relieve loved ones in illness and suffering, motivated by feelings of sympathy and kindness. In the absence of an obvious explanation, his limited intelligence attributed illnesses and other calamities to the wrath of God, the invasion of the body by evil spirits, or the influence of the stars and planets. As a logical consequence, the medicine he practiced consisted of appeasing God through prayers, rituals and sacrifices, driving out evil spirits from the human body. There is also evidence that prehistoric man improvised stone and flint instruments with which he performed circumcisions, amputations and trepanations of skulls. It is therefore evident that medicine in prehistoric times (5000 BC) was mixed with superstition, religion, magic and witchcraft. Elements of prehistoric medicine are still present in many countries. Primitive man may have disappeared, but the “supernatural theory of disease” he believed in has not yet disappeared in our modern society. Indian Medicine: Hindu medicine is as old as Hindu civilization. Ayurveda by definition implies “the science of life”. (Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word derived from two roots: Ayur, meaning life, and Veda, knowledge). Its origin dates back to the Vedic era, around 5000 BC. Ayurveda is a part of Atharva Veda which deals solely with medicine. In 1833, Lord William Bentinck, the then Governor of India, appointed a committee to prepare a report on medical education and existing institutions with a view to revising and improving Indian medical education. The Committee submitted its report on October 20, 1834. The Committee recommended the immediate abolition of the native medical school and suggested the establishment of a medical college for the Indians. English was chosen as the language of instruction primarily to utilize the immense wealth of printed works and illustrations in Western medical literature. On the recommendation of the committee, a Government Order No. 28 dated 28 January 1835 was created for the Bengal Medical College. This day is still celebrated as the foundation day of Calcutta Medical College. A small hospital consisting of 20 beds was established on April 1, 1838. In 1840, a large women's hospital was founded with 100 beds to enable the teaching of midwives. Assistant Surgeon MJBramley (see image) was appointed Superintendent with Assistant Surgeon Dr HH Goodeve (see image) as sole assistant. Pandit Madhusudan Gupta, aBaidya professor from Native Medical Institute, has been transferred along with two assistants from Sanskrit College to New Medical College. The duration of studies was four years and the examination took place under the supervision of the Committee of the Council of Education. The certificate qualified them to practice surgery and medicine. An Overview of Ayurveda – The History and Forgotten Principles of Traditional Indian Medicine Ayurveda is one of the most renowned systems of traditional medicine that has survived and thrived over the centuries. With the enormous knowledge of nature-based medicine, the relationship between the constitution and function of the human body with nature and the elements of the universe that act in coordination and affect living beings, this system will continue to prosper in the centuries to come. Many avenues still remain to be explored by researchers, practitioners and experts in the field who are responsible for keeping systems alive...