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Susruta's Surgical Instruments, Plate 4
National Council of Science Museums
Kolkata, India
This is Plate IV of four plates published in the 1907 book, An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita in Three Volumes, (Volume 1), on page 93 of Introduction section. It represents the following shastra / surgical instruments:
9. Kritharika shastra
10. Kushapatra shastra
11. Mandalagra shastra
12. Mudrika shastra
13. Nakha shastra
14. Shararimukha shastra
15. Trikurchaka shastra
16. Utpalapatra shastra
17. Vetaspatra shastra
18. Suchi shastra
19. Vrihimukha shastra
20. Vridhipatra shastra
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Details
- Title: Susruta's Surgical Instruments, Plate 4
- Subject Keywords: Sushruta Samhita, Susruta, Surgery, Surgical Instruments, Rhinoplasty
- Contributor: Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna
- Publisher: An English translation of the Sushruta Samhita, based on original Sanskrit text. Edited and published by Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna. With a full and comprehensive introd., translation of different readings, notes, comperative views, index, glossary and plates.
- Original Source: Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna
- Rights: Public Domain
- Historical Context: The Susruta-samhita, in its extant form, in 184 chapters contains descriptions of 1,120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants, 64 preparations from mineral sources and 57 preparations based on animal sources. The text discusses surgical techniques of making incisions, probing, extraction of foreign bodies, alkali and thermal cauterization, tooth extraction, excisions, and trocars for draining abscess, draining hydrocele and ascitic fluid, removal of the prostate gland, urethral stricture dilatation, vesicolithotomy, hernia surgery, caesarian section, management of haemorrhoids, fistulae, laparotomy and management of intestinal obstruction, perforated intestines and accidental perforation of the abdomen with protrusion of omentum and the principles of fracture management, viz., traction, manipulation, apposition and stabilization including some measures of rehabilitation and fitting of prosthetic. It enumerates six types of dislocations, twelve varieties of fractures, and classification of the bones and their reaction to the injuries, and gives a classification of eye diseases including cataract surgery. The book was translated into Arabic in 8th century CE as Kitab-ul-Susrud. In describing the method of Rhinoplasty (Nasikāsandhāna) Sushruta says 17: “The portion of the nose to be covered should be first measured with a leaf. Then a piece of skin of the required size should be dissected from the living skin of the cheek, and turned back to cover the nose, keeping a small pedicle attached to the cheek. The part of the nose to which the skin is to be attached should be made raw by cutting the nasal stump with a knife. The physician then should place the skin on the nose and stitch the two parts swiftly, keeping the skin properly elevated by inserting two tubes of eranda (the castor-oil plant) in the position of the nostrils, so that the new nose gets proper shape. The skin thus properly adjusted, it should then be sprinkled with a powder of liquorice, red sandal-wood and barberry plant. Finally, it should be covered with cotton, and clean sesame oil should be constantly applied. When the skin has united and granulated, if the nose is too short or too long, the middle of the flap should be divided and an endeavour made to enlarge or shorten it.”
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