412
ABSTRACTS
The Sumerian civilization left behind it documentary evidence of medical practice,
proving that these peoples considered blood, replenished by food, as the life force and
the liver the centre of the body (viz. the use of animal livers' for fortune telling). Water
and fire, mixed with religious ritual, were their main therapeutics. Domestic animals
constituted the chief criterion of wealth and in them taxes were paid. Horses were
uncommon but occasionally used to draw war-chariots.
In the Babylonish civilization again, pastoral life was of predominating importance
and we find shepherds figuring in the kings' entourage. Men were taxed according to
the number of animals they owned and animals were protected by law, theft of cattle
being severely punished, while the sale, hire and pasturing of animals was regulated.
Under these circumstances, we expect and find that veterinary knowledge was con-
sidered of great importance, but it was still inextricable from human medicine and
still mainly theological, only external wounds and disease, such as fractures and diseases
of the eye being treated, while most diseases, considered as divine visitations, were
relegated to the care of the priest.
From, 1900 B.C.—800 A.D., we find the Aryans invading and settling in Northern
India. They brought with them a religion based on the Vedas, which were also the
principal repository of Hindu medicine. Most of the books deal only with exorcisms
and magic conjurations, since disease was regarded in the first place as the work of
innumerable demons ('Pisachas' and ' Raksasas') but the Ayurveda also includes trea-
tises on surgery, the treatment of bodily diseases, demonology, child medicine, toxi-
cology and the use of aphrodisiacs. Herbal treatments are detailed, such as the use of
the plant ' kustha ' against fever, of the plant ' apamarga' against digestive troubles,
and of ' arundhati' to re-establish the secretion of milk in cows; while there is a lengthy
description of the various methods used for castrating yoke-animals.
In the Laws of Manu, animals and men are equally protected by law and the posi-
tion of animals is evidenced by the fact that in many Hindu prayers, animals are placed
before men, while the Hindu gods were often thought of in animal forms (e.g. Indra
as the fiery bull—after the death of Vrtra, his greatest deed of heroism was the delivery
of the calf retained in Vata's womb).
Budhism strengthened the eastern veneration for animal life. In the works of
' Susruta ' most illustrious of Indian physicians, it is stated that medical assistance
was denied to hunters and trappers of animals. Asoka [270-233 B.C.] forbade the
killing of animals and established hospitals (precursors of the modern Pinjrapoles)
for them as well as for men. The Singhalese kings expected their army doctors to
attend men, elephants and horses indiscriminately. All this was not, however, entirely
disinterested benevolence, as these ancient kings derived revenue from the taxes
on animal sales.
There is a definite body of Hindu veterinary literature, though the largest reputed
supply in the hands of the Brahmans has never been allowed to be seen by any save
themselves. However in Kaniska's reign, an anonymous doctor collected and edited all
the veterinary knowledge of the previous centuries. This book proves veterinary science
to have been mainly concerned with religion and ritual but shows that some surgery