Brain surgery is by no means a modern invention. Centuries ago the doctors at that time practiced a brain surgery method called Trepanation. Evidence of first ever brain surgery from harappa proves that it happened atleast 4300 years back.
Trepanation – Brain Surgery Procedure
Trepanation also known as Trepanning, Trephination, Trephining Or making a Burr-Hole is a surgical intervention in which a hole is drilled or scrapped into the human skull. This brain surgery procedure happened without the use of anesthesia or lancets, An extremely sharp blade instrument used for surgeries. Instead it relied on hand-operating drillers & other tools to drill a hole to the skull.
In the words Danielle Kurin, An Author, Assistant professor & Forensic Specialist in Antropology , ” When you get a knock on the head that causes your brain to swell dangerously, Or You have some kind of Neurological, Spiritual or Psychosomatic illness, drilling a hole in the head becomes a reasonable thing to do ” – Source – Danielle Kurin
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Evidence of First Ever Brain Surgery
There is evidence of brain surgery healing, Indicating that the victim survived the surgery but lived with a hole in their heads after the operation. Scholars have recorded striking similarities in trepanation techniques across the continents, and therefore considered it as important evidence for prehistoric movements of people and for transfer of surgical skills from one society to another.
Mentions of Surgery In Central India
There is another reference to Brain surgery in 11th century in a text Bhoja Prabandham, describing life of Raja Bhoja. Raja Bhoja was a king and polymath of medieval India, who ruled the kingdom of Malwa in central India from the early 11th century to 1055 CE. Also known as Raja Bhoj of Dhar, he belonged to the Paramara dynasty. He used to suffer from intense headaches. Two brahmin surgeons from Ujjain performed a surgery on him using an anesthetic called “Moha Churna” to make him unconscious. They Opened his crinial bone, Removed the tumor & then used another medicine powder called “Sanjivani” to regain his consciousness. Bhoja survived this surgery remarkably well and had an illustrious reign both as a military commander and encyclopedic scholar.
A Detailed article along with all the original references have been mentioned in First evidence of brain surgery in Bronze Age Harappa , and available as a PDF. Please do read and share the article to more people. An article on this topic has been published in THE HINDU newpaper also.
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