GENESIS OF CHARAKA CLUB, NEW YORK AND GLEANINGS RELATED TO HINDU MEDICINE FROM THE PROCEEDINGS
By K. RAGHUNATHAN
Medical societies, associations and clubs occupy an important place in the life of the profession. These bodies hold fast the profession, and help in inculcating the feeling of love and oneness besides bringing the members into contact with great workers of the field and age. This contact serves as an inspiration and acts as a powerful impetus to the youngsters to cultivate the spirit of labour which made those great people what they were. This healthy influence has a significant place in the advance- ment of knowledge.
There are various medical societies, clubs and associations in different parts of the world, each having special objects in view. Charak a Club of New York was one of the clubs formed with select gathering. It was a medico-historico-social club that c iscussed a range of subjects involving fields like medicine, medical history, literature and poetry even. In order to prevent from becoming too engrossed in purely profe- ssional matters, dinners, conversaziones and popular meetings are commonly held in the club. This club periodically released its Proceedings containing the names of members, list of subjects discussed together with certain papers read before the club.
A club Was founded in November 1898 by a group of four-Charles L. Dana, Joseph Colleirs, Frederick Peterson and Bernard Sachs at New York. These members were attending regularly medical meetings at New York Academy of Medicine in West 43rd street. They were more anxious, in the words of Bernard Sachs, to get together at regular intervals to discuss, in an intimate way, subjects of cultural rather than purely medical interest. To this group of four was added Ward Holden at the sugges- tion of Collins. About the formation of Club, Joseph Collins, in his paper "The past, present, and future of the Charak a Club" read forty three years after founding the club, on 19th November, 1941, said as below:
"The Charaka Club was founded forty-three years ago this month. It was concei- ved by an Irishman, gestated by a Puritan, delivered by a Yankee, and baptized, or, better said, named by a Jew. They were the Four Horses of the Apocalypse and theii names were, respectively, Collins, Dana, Holden, Sachs. You may attribute it to vanity that I put my own name first, but I recall vividly the talks and discussions, I had with Holden, when we were both assistants in Herman Knapp's Clinic in Twelfth Street, as to what we, as ambitious young physicians, should do, could do, to satisfy the needs and opportunities of the third leg of the day that should be devoted to play. Golf had not yet swept over the country like a tornado. Finally we agreed upon a plan to get a group of men who knew at least the meaning of culture to gather four Genesis of Charaka Club=-Raghunathan 241 or five times during the winter to talk and discuss what was in their minds concerning art, literature. education, and our predecessors, particularly the remote and epoch- making ones." The following introductory note in the first volume of the Proceedings of The Charaka Club which was released in 1902 spelled out briefly the object with which the Club was started and also on its name: "The Charaka Club was organised in November, 1898, by a number of medical men of this city who were interested in the literary, artistic and historical aspects of medicine, and who hoped to find some recreation if not profit in dealing with this, the less serious, side of their art. The expectation of the founders have been realized, and incidentally their meet- ings have been the means of bringing together some literary material which it was decided to print. The name of the Club was chosen in honour of the Hindoo Sage whose history is given in the first article by Dr. Sachs. The design for the title page and book-plate was made by Mr. George W. Maynard. - New York, 1902. The Editorial Committee consisting of Ward A. Holden, Smith Ely Jeliffe, and Charles L. Dana while issuing the volume III of the proceedings noted on the recep- tion to the proceedings as below: "The Proceedings of the Charaka Club appear to have interested medical men and the editors feel justified in issuing a third volume. The Society itself has added to its membership and increased its activities. The result is that the present issue is larger than those which preceded it, although some valuable papers read before the Club have been publi-hed elsewhere. Still other contributions, we may add, have not been published at all, because modesty exists as well as merit among the Children of the Sage. The list of names of the contributors to this and previous volumes shows that active professional life does not make impossible a dalliance with the Muses. "Inter sylvas Academi quaerere verum." To seek after truth in the groves of Academus is an occupation which in some degree and form all may profitably pursue." The group soon felt that subjects beyond the range of medicine would prove attra- ctive. The meetings were held at homes of the members. The first meeting was informal and was held at Dana's home to discuss the purpose and the range of subjects. The members agreed to meet four or five times a year at each others's to discuss : subjects ranging from historical medicine to the recording of rare experience. The increase in the membership was very gradual as no one was to be elected unless he .had wide cultural interests, was in sympathy with the aims of the ~club; the colour of his eyes, or hair, or his special religious affiliations did not determine the choice. 242 Bulletin Ind. Inst, Hist. Med. Vol. VI or the first addition to the club were Pearce Bailey, Johns S. Billings and George F. Shrady. The first five members met at Peterson's, in January. 1899; Peterson read a paper on post-humous diplopia, and C-ollins made and read a contribution to Bthics. In the meeting at Collins' in February 1899, Gerster was added to the list. Bernard Sachs, proposed father Arpad Gerster 1899 and later in 1930, John. C. Gers- ter (his son). Arpad Gerster had intimate knowledge of art and was a skilful teacher. In the meeting at Sachs', Dana read a paper on Guy Patin. In April 1899, the meet- ing was held at the University Club at the invitation of Holden. Holden therein presented a paper on the printed page and its optical defects. In the sixth meeting held at Collins' it was decided to call the Club as the Medico-Historical Club. At the seventh meeting held at Dana's, Dana spoke on costumes of ancient Greek physicians. Subjects such as 'the evil spoken of physicians'. 'education and social position of the Greek physician', ophthalmology of the greek physicians', and Hippocratic cranial surgery were a few of the subjects presented in the meetings of the Club. It was in 1899, the group elected Dana as President. Holden was described as the first, and a very competant secretary who inaugurated a style of secretarial notes, which was subsequently continued ably by Camac and Malloch. It was one of the meetings in 1899 group decided that the program might include reports of unique and instructive personal experiences, presentation of drawings, prints or other illustrations and reading of poem not exceeding to two verses. The group decided to have one special subject by way of a regular address followed by general discussion. In the eighth meeting of the Club held in January, 1900 at the residence of Arpad Gerster, Bernad Sachs presented a paper on Hindoo medicine. In this paper, he said the Charaka was the oldest medicine man and priest whose works were still extant. Immediately after this statement was made there was a whisper in the group "We have a name for the Club" and it was since then the nameless happy group began functioning under the name, The Charaka Club. It was in the meeting of April, 1900 the name was finally adopted. Bernard Sachs mentioned that he was interested in the Hindoo Medicine through his brother Professor Julius Sachs, a thorough Sanskrit scholar. It was he who advised him. to look into the ancient medi- cal practices of the Hindoos. At the meeting in April 1900, the name Charaka Club was adopted, and in 1901 the seal was adopted. (Fig: 1) The seal of the Charaka Club is marshalled as follows: "Upper half. On a mantle of lilies blanc, in a field circular with slittered bordure, a snake spiral, salient, Border gobonated by gods and goddesses medicinal. Scutcheon supported by dog dexter and goat sinister" couchant affronte. Lower half. Enclosed by border wavy without, indented within, a field spattered with Roman numerals and charged with rooster rampant stepped in socket of globe quiescent. Crest, without wreath, but with earring, bust of Indian sage erased". The descriptive verse of the seal emblem of the Charaka Club was printed as fronts- piece in the 7th volume of the procedings of the Cbaraka Club. (Fig. 2) l~~ i I t ;, l . .[ -
•..
Fig. 1. Seal of the Charaka Club. ·J '.' Pig. 2. Descri~ti~everse of the seal (Emblem) ',. .: ---;- ..
.' . "-, 'Genesis of Charaka Club=Raghunathan 243 Dr. Walton got a gold signet ring of the seal made and he exhibited this while reading a paper on 'Our seal' in the club meeting on 19th November, 1924. Sometime after the presentation of the paper in November 1924, he wrote a personal letter to Dr. C.N.B. Camac, the then secretary of the Club, and one of the sentences in that letter read as below :- "I have left instructions for the ring to be sent to you in case of my death, but don't be too hopeful, 1 belong to a long lived family". Camac was disturbed but on maturer deliberation realised that the clause in the personal letter was addressed to secretary. He expressed himself to Walton when he met. The following letter received from Walton in 1925 removed the sad contingency and made the club happy recipient of the ring. This letter was read by the Secretary at the meeting of the Club held in January 21, 1925. Dr. Walton was not present in this meeting. Dear Dr. Cama, A certain poet has said: Weak and irresolute is man: The purpose of today, Woven with pains into his plan, Tomorrow rends away.
He must have had me in mind. Last summer 1 became possessed with the idea of having the Charaka seal cut in a ring, wearing which, wherever 1 went I should have something with me to remember the club by. Before 1 had worn it a month 1 came more and more to realize that it was more important - not to say appropriate - that the club should own it, and have some- thing to rember me by. I am sending it today by registered mail, and trust that the club will accept it as a token of my appreciation of the intellectual stimulus afforded by association with its members. Yours very sincerely, Geo. L. Walton
Dr. C.N.B. Camac, 76 E. 56th St., New York, N.Y. The club directed the Secretary to express their appreciation to Dr. Walton and made wax impression of this seal for each member of the Club and to place the ring among the Charaka Archives.
At the club meeting held in February 18, 1925, the donor was personally addressed as below: "Beloved Walton, though we accept this memento as a tangible reminder of our long friendships, your fellow Charakans bid me to say that we need no token by which 244 Bulletin Ind. Inst. nt«: Med. Vol. VI to keep you in mind, other than the imperishable comradeship of our happy year together" - Done at the meeting of The Charaka Club held February l Sth, 1925. The design of the seal was drawn by George W. Maynard, the special friend of Dana. The seal was adopted in 1901. On the occassion of dinner given in honour of Sir Victor Horsley at the old university Club at Madison Avenue and 26th street, Sachs who was seated next to Osler, talked of Charaka to him, and Osler was inte- rested in the club and its meetings, and he became an enthusiastic out-of-town member who brought many rare books from his library, and enlivened many meetings till he left for Oxford. Osler and Weir Mitchell were honorary members at first and later in 1904 were elected regular members of the Club. Osler, while at Oxford felt so hapy about the club, he wrote to Camac, who succeeded Holden as secretary that he wished he had a group like that there (at Oxford). The first volume of the Proceedings of the Charaka Club (1902) carried the paper on 'Hindoo Medicine' presented by Bernard Sachs in 1900 as first article. To do justice to the subject and also to expose the interest and brilliance of the knowledge of the member-speaker on the subject, there is no alternative than reproducing a part of what was said by him on the subject.
"It would seem to be a foregone conclusion that a people so advanced in philoso- phy, in many of the arts, and in several sciences as were the ancient Hindoos should also have been possessed of a satisfactory system of medicine. I was not aware, howe- ver, when I proposed to look into this subject for my own instruction and for the benefit of our smaIl coterie, that comparatively little had been done in this special line of study. English and French sanscritists, and some British physicians, notably Royle and Wise, have been the pioneer in the attempt to resurrect the principles of medicine as practiced among the Hindoos of ancient and modern times. In 1837, Royle publi- shed a monograph on the antiquity of Hindoo Medicine, and in 1845, Dr. Wise, of the Bengal Medical Service, wrote a commentary on the Hindo System of Medicine. This latter appears to be by far the most important contribution to the subject upon which all later writers have been compelled to base their researches. In his essays on Sanscrit literature, Wilson, Professor of Sanscrit at Oxford, has a short lecture on the medical and surgical sciences of Hindoos. Some interesting information can be culled from Zimmer's monograph, entitled "Alt Indisches Leben," published in 1879. and from Weber's "Vorlesungen Uber Indished Literatur Geshicte. I cannot hope to do more than to give the gist of a brief course of reading. At our last meeting we received sufficient proof-s-if proof were needed-that our present system of medicine is closely allied to that of Hippocrates. We are stilI continuing to build on the lines down by the Greek school. It is certain that the Greek philosophers were aided by the wise men in Egypt, who in turn appeared to have obtained much of their knowledge of the various sciences from some mysterious nation of the East. Whether or not it was the influence of the Hindoos that has left its imprint upon Greek philosophy in this indirect way no one ventures to assert. However, it is possible Genesis of Charaka Club=Raghunath an 245 that through the Egyptians and Arabs, the knowledge of the Hindoos was transferred to European nations many centuries ago. Whatever the facts may be regarding this occult influence of the Hindoos, it is certain that their sacred records contained a system of medicine for which they may claim an antiquity extending far beyond that of the heroic age. Because of their relative isolation from other people, it may be interesting to note the fundamental principles of the healing art as practised by them. and it need not be surprising that in spite of their isolation we shaIl find some resem- blance between the doctrines held by them and those maintained by other nations and races of a later age." Sachs, in the course of his talk refers to different divisions of Ayurveda. On one occasion he points out that "it should be noted also that the sacred Ayurveda contai- ned a description of the structure of the human body obtained from dissection, show- ing that the Hindoos were more advanced in this one respect than were the Greeks". At another place he talks of the medical teacher, the pupil and the practitioner and again it is felt that the following relevant extracts from his paper can speak of his erudition on the subject: "A good teacher is like rain falling upon the germinating seed and should possess the following qualification' A perfect knowledge of the Shastras joined to extensive practical knowledge and skill. He should be kind and humble to everyone; he should have no defects of body and should always be ready to expose the good rather than the bad qualities of others: he should be clean and neat in his person; he should always be increasing his knowledge of books, and should neither be angered by the improprieties of others nor fatigued by their importunities. He should be kind and considerate to his pupils and be able to explain the most complicated statements in the simplest and most perspicuous language". How many of us would be willing to be gauged by this standard? Not everyone in those good old days was admitted to the profession, and few of us indeed could ever have hoped to meet the standards expected of the students. It is said: "The medical student should be the son of a respectable and ancient family. He should be inquisitive and observant, not cove- tous, jealous or lazy; he should be a philanthrepist, possess a generous heart, and his disposition should be amiable and happy. The indications of such qualifications are an agreeable voice, a smaIl tongue and eyes, nose straight, with thin lips, short teeth which do not expos e the gums, and thick hair which retains its vigor."
But the physician, the practitioner who was to exhibit the qualities that proved his noble descent must have had a particularly trying time of it. "The physician should possess a healthy body; he should keep his nails and beard short; his body pure; his clothes clean. Should the practitioner not know his duty, the cure of the disease will be tedious and imperfect. It will also be so when the pulse cannot be felt at the root of the neck and when the senses are affected. In such cases the practitioner should always inform the relations and friends of the sick person of the state he is in before prescribing. A good pbysician will continue to visit his patients diligently, examine them carefully and be not fearful, but give medicines always when the patient 246 Bulletin Ind. Insl. Hist. Med. Vol. VI can live. But if the physician attempts to treat an incurable disease, it will diminish his reputation, friends and riches." Such doctrine must be attributed to a fatalism which we modern physicians fortunately do not entertain. "And when the physician has accomplished all that could be expected of him, he is entitled to the usual gifts for the performance of a good action. These will vary with the rank and condition of the patient. Money will be the recompense betowed by the rich; friendship, reputation, increase of virtue, prayers and gratitude will be that of the poor. His course will insure the admiration and esteem of all men. He will be honored and respected as a master, and after death he will go to heaven. Should the patient prove ungrateful after being cured, his holiness and good fortune will pass to the physician, but the physician, must avoid administering remedies to hunters of great sinners. Such people do not deserve his assitance."
Another interesting note especially related to the Hindoo Medicine is the oath of Hindu Physician published in the proceedings. (Fig: 3)
Smith Ely Jeliffe, member ot the Club spoke on April 6, 1904 on "Charaka and his Times". In his introduction he says "It is known by the members of this club that the foundations of early Indian medicine were laid long before the dawn of the christian era, and it has been definitely shown by Jolly as by others that the ground work of Sanskrit writing in medicine is genuine and old, and not inferior in antiquity to any other branch of Indian learning.
"Of the actual men who were concerned in these early beginnings, however. the records are extremely imperfect. Three characters seem to loom up in the midst of tradition and fable with a semblance of actuality: Charaka , Susruta and Vagbhata. Others, like Agniveca and Atri, are too nebulous to permit of fixation. These three represent three periods in early Sanskrit medicine. Charaka belongs to the first or semi-mythical period, (Atri) Susruta to the Dvapara, and Vagbhata to the more distin- ctly modern of the ancients. These have left the three canonical works that have been passed down the centuries. For none is the age yet definitely determined. but it would seem that the order of priority is as given.
For the present we have chosen to consider Charaka as the oldest of these three writers, as most of the evidence points in this direction. Just when he did live may never be known, but it seems certain that there was such a man; may be, as in the case of Hippocrs..cs, there were more than one, and that Charaka signifies a clan as much as an individual.
Many of the older writers on the history of medicine believed Charaka to have been living many centuries before Christ. Hessler, for example has maintained that he certainly lived somewhere between 800 and 600 B.C., and Cordier. while not commi- tting himself to any dates, suggests that the work of Charaka unquestionably saw its origin, if not its act ual transcription by Charaka, in the days of Buddha (500 B.C.), at Which time there probably existed a school of medicine of great renown, which subse- CHASTE AND ABSTEMIOUS, SPEAK
TRUTH, NOT T MEAT. CARE FOR THE, GOOD OF ALL .,•.; •• iLIVING BEINGS;
1·'8AN T.I\.KE UP.O.N );.to.' URSE.LF.' T~;SE. VOWS.; .M. A. .VALL :fliEj••· ••• I GODS 1\1D YOU IF YOU ABIDE TtlEREB¥; OTHERWISE MAY. I ....., ", I'>" ALL TiiE GOD:f A.ND THE ~A, BEFORE WH1CH WI! I
1 5TAND,>BE AGAINST y THE PUPIL SHALL' ~ ., . \ CONSENT f~jTHlS, NO. 'SO BE IT:"*
Fig. 3. Reproduction from Volume VI of the Proceedings of the Charaka Club. - -- "--'-...--.-"", THE PROCEEDINGS
OF · THE CHARAKA CLUB
I
VOLUME I
;.
N." YodW WILLlA)f WOOD,ANJ) COMPANY MDCCCclI
Title page of the First Volume of the Proceedings. Genesis of Charaka Club=Raghunathan 247 quently saw a decline and fall. Agniveca may have been the- follower of this time, and Charaka his transcriber some years or centuries later. Going to the other extreme, however, Has deprecates the earlier work and tries to prove that the ~ork of the early Sanscrit writers was in reality very modern, dating from the thirteenth century. Haas referred Susruta's work, which is now conceded to be younger than Charaka's between the twelfth and fifteenth/centuries A.D. Thus we find a period of doubt of 2,000 years between the estimates of two eminent students. With further study, however, it has seemed that both estimates were incorrect. By conjecture, that of the early date has been thought to be too early, while Haas' hypotheses have been very definitely disproven by Muller and by the discovery of a number of highly interesting ancient Sanskrit manus cripts'[which Hornle and others have translated and interpreted; furthermore, certain Chinese stories have recently been translated by Levi,-all of which place us in a much better position to determine the age of Charaka more accurately. Of these early manuscripts two may be mention ed which are directly connected with the study of early Indian medicine: these are the Bower and Mac Cartney manuscripts. At the time of Jolly's paper, reid before the Ninth Congress of Orien- talists, it was thought that the Bower MSS. was the oldest bit of Sanskrit MSS. in existence, but since that time Hornle bas deciphered the MacCartney MSS., wbich is supposed to be at least one or two hundred years earlier.
Tbe Bower MSS. is one of a large number of miscellaneous fragments which usually have been found in or about ruined monasteries. It came into the possession of Colonel Bowers, of the Indian Service, and sub sequently was sent to Hornle, who translated it. Apart from many interesting features concerning the character of this manuscript, its ethnic features, etc., it is a fragment of a work dealing mostly with medicine, and is thought to represent the work of Susruta, the second of the three early Indian physicians. The date of the actual manuscript is given as about 500 A.D. by Hornle, and as this manuscript proves and as has already been said, Charaka preceded Susruta-it is from the evidence of the Bowers manuscript alone, definitely settled that Charaka lived before 500 A.D.
The resemblance of many of the features of the medicine of Susruta with earlier law books of India is in the mind of Jolly suggestive of a greater antiquity.
When the Bowers manuscript was found in Kuchan, India, dug from the fo unda- dation of a ruined monastery, two others were found under similar circumstances. An Afghan merchant, Dildar Khan, obtained a package of the mutilated torn leaves. He apparently divided them into two or three packages. A Mr. Weber, a Moravian missionary, acquired some -the Weber MSS. A large bundle of six sets of leaves came into the possession of G. MacCartney. Special Assistant Chinese Affairs at Kashgar, while a few leaves from the same lot were r sent to the Russian Consulate Kashgar and have been translated by Oldenburg, theRussian Orientalist. 248 Bulletin Ind. Inst. nt«. Med. Vol. VI In the MacCartney MSS. fifteen of the leaves were determined by Hornle to be distinctly older than many of the leaves of the Bower MS. He ascribes them to 320 A.D., making the MacCartney MSS. the earliest (1897) existing Sanskrit MSS. It was probably written by an Indian Buddhist who bad emigrated to Central Asia. This portion of the work is eminently medical or semimedicaI, and a study of the original convinces Hornle and others that it is a fragment of a work, a translation of a still earlier work by Charaka, the subject of our inquiry. Thus the MacCartney MSS. definitely establishes the fact of the existence of a medical work, now known as the Charaka Samhita, as early as 320 A.D.
The next bit of evidence that bears on the subj ect comes from an entirely different source. It comes from the Chinese-tbe great conservators of the East. Sylvain Levi, in looking over some early Chinese legends, found a number of stories concerning the Indian Kings. In the series just referred to as published in the Asiatic Journals 1896, the tales deal largely with a King Kaniska, who founded Kaniskapura. Levi's trans- lated stories are of interest particularly since there is brought out the possibility that Charaka was the physician of this carly Indian King. If not the early Charaka, cer- tainly a physician with that name.
It might seem that Charaka's date could be readily told, but unfortunately the Indian scholars did not seem to appreciate the value of chronology, and practically all of the early Indian dynasties must be reconstructed from Chinese translations. Witbout entering too deeply into the details of the sources of verification of the chronology of this early ruler it is not positive as to bis exact time. Many of the early chronologists had to invent a second Kaniska to justify tbeir conclusions. The early Chinese explo- rer, Hiouen Tsang (600 A.D.), wrote of the Conquests of Kaniska, and puts him about 100 B.C. Ferguson and Oldenburg place Kaniska about 78 A.D., while still another writer makes him a ruler in 200 A.D. In these tales. however. we find the first positive indication of the date of Charaka, and in as much as Oriental scholars tell us that tbe Chinese are notably accurate in historical matters, it would seem that the date of Charaka, possibly the Charaka who wrote the Samhita, .is sorne-, where between 100 B.C. and 78 A.D.
Thus from the extreme limits of Hessler, 800 B.C., on the one band, to Haas. 1200 A.D., on the other, we have arrived at a much more logical position regarding the age of tbis early physician." The following account from the paper "Early Years of the Charaka Club" of Bernard Sachs on the subject of dinners of the Club will be interesting and informa- tive. "If you are not wearied let me mention a few of those early meeting and tell you how we cut up in our youthful days. On one occassion the Club dined in Hindoo garb with Peterson (probably to do honor to Peterson as the great traveler in the Orient, the lover and connoisseur of Chinese art) while listening to JeIIiffe's address on Dutch physicians in New Amsterdam, with pictures representing scenes in the Genesis of Charaka Club+Raghunathan 249 medical school at Leyden, portrait groups of Dutch hospital trustees and scenes of medical practice high and low by Dutch painters. At another meeting, Dana read a paper on Antonius Musa and the Greek physicians in Rome, and handed about a jar of Musa's panacea, made by Fraser after the original prescriptions recorded by Galen. At a subsequent meeting, Osler gave a most interesting account of his life at Oxford and the workings of the Medical Department of the University, and at ano- ther meeting he read a paper on imaginary libraries. At that same meeting Collins read a paper on Duchenne de Boulogne, and Peterson read two new poems. But more notabl e and even more enjoyable than the average meeting, was the dinner tendered William Osler by the Charakians at the University Club, March 4th, 190:.5.when we gave him a bronze medallion, in Dana's correct Latin, to Osler, "M·edico illustri, litterarum cultori, socio gratissimo." Dr. Dana Presided and showed a series of portraits illustrating the incarnation of Osler from Charaka down through Galen, Avicenna, Nostradamus, Boerhaave , and others, including Dr. Dover, the buccaneer. Notable features were the poem by Weir Mitchel, "Books and the Man." and WaIton"s poem, sung to the tune of "Tommy Atkins." Let me quote the final verse to prove that Walton was a good versifier and a real poet: So, Willie dear, we'll back you 'gainst the world For pedagogy, frolic or for work, Where'er the flag of science is unfurled You will do your best and never never shirk. We keep the warmest corner of our bearts For you, old boy, wherever you may be. Another flag will be above you. God keep you Willie, still by land and sea. Collins and Gerster spoke that same evening, and the shades of Charaka, through me, addressed Osler as "Brother Brahman, Vaidya , son of the thirteen sons of Visha Hadra, of Mother Amba (never mind about the father), I, Charaka, am not calling thee names, William Osler; I am merely ..giving thee thy ancestral lineage .... Make new friends, but cherish the old ones as they will cherish thee with a love and honor that know no bounds." That he thought kindly of us is shown by his letter to Camac. In the years succeeding this dinner, the Club continued on its prescribed course to the great satisfaction of all its members. At a subsequent meeting we dined in Japanese fashion with Jelliffe, while James read a paper on Ramazzini and his chapter on diseases of learned men. Walton, in 1907, read a paper on Epicurus and his philosophy. Dana enlivened the discussion by reading passages from Horace, illustrative of Epicurus. Walton's pets were the medical saints, Cosmo and Damian, and he a mused with his skit, s . How to Tell a Druid from a Dryad." A number of papers were read and a fairly diverse subjects were discussed at the meetings of Charaka Club. A list of papers gathered from the volumes of the Procee- dings of the Club provides an impressive glimpse of activities of this great club which existed for about forty three years. 250 Bulletin Ind. Inst. tun. Med. Vol. VI
Information as gathered from the Proceedings of the Charak.a Club (Volume wise)
SI Title of the Date of No. paper Read by Presentation before the club
VOLUMEI 1. Hindoo Medicine Dr. Sachs 1900 2. In the Shade of Ygdrasil Dr. Peterson 3. The Hippocratic Doctrine of injuries to the Cranium Dr. Gerster 1899 4. The story of the man who wanted to hypnotize but not to pay Dr. Collins 1898 s. The cult of Aesculapius, His Statues and his Temples Dr. Dana 1895 6. A Contribution to Ethics Dr. Collins Jan 1899 7. The Evil spoken of Physicians Dr. Dana 8. The Ophthalmology of the ancient Greeks Dr. Holden VOLUMEII 1. Books and the man Dr. Mitchell March, 4, 1905 2. Fracastorius Dr. Osler December, 1904 3. Charaka and his times Dr. Jelliffe April 6, 1904 4. Dr. Craske's Prognosis Dr. Bailey 5. Self-Mutilation of the eyes, by an ancient saint and a Modern sinner Dr. Holden 6. The King's touch for Scrofula Dr. Billings 7. The Medicine of Horace Dr. Dana 8. A song of the latter day Dr. Peterson 9. Some professional reminiscences Dr. Shrady 10. On the Diseases of learned men Dr. James 11. Laurentius H. Heister -A Sketch Dr. Gerster 12. Song Dr. Walton 13~ Report of dinner given to Dr. Osler Genesis of the Charaka Club=-Raghunathan 251
-V 0 L U ME III 1. A very rare book Dr. Mitchell 2. Flaubert's Epilepsy Dr. Bailey 3. Franciscus Sylvius Dr. Jelliffe 4. The flutter of the Goldleaf Dr. Peterson 5. When appollo strikes the lyre: a study of the Canticles of the old Anatomists Dr. Dana 6. The visualization of history Dr. Walton 7. Surgical Manners aud customs in the times of Henry de Mondeville Dr. Gerster 8. Raymond De Vieussens, a famous Neuro-Anatomist of the 17 th Century Dr. Sachs 9. John de Vigo, A surgeon to the Pope Dr. Pilcher 10. A Modern and his times Dr, Camac II. Cesalpino, A Neglected Worthy Dr. Collins 12. Epicurus and His ethics Dr. Walton April, 1907 VOL U M E IV I. Professor Harnack's Medical Data from the Oldest Church History Dr. Gerster 2. The Medical Saints Cosmo and Damian Dr. Walton 3. Literary Leanings of Eighteenth Century Physicians Dr. Collins 4. The University of Alexandria Dr. Mumford 5. The Development of Anatomical Illustrations of the Nervous System Dr. Dana L 6. The Bent Hinge Dr. Bailey 7. Note on the Elzevirs and their Medical Publications Dr. Pilcher 8. A Fourteenth Century English Manuscript of Guy De Chauliac Dr. Streeter 9. Antonio Scarpa Dr. Gerster lO. Bacon and Shakespeare from the Botanical point of view Dr. Walton 11. Medicine in England in Chaucer's Time Dr. Collins 12. The costume of the Ancient Greek Physician Dr. Dana VOLUME V 1. The Military Surgeons of the middle ages Dr. Pilcher 2. War-Neuroses in the Civil War Dr. Peterson 252 Bulletin Ind. Inst, ut«: Med. Vol. VI 3. Military and Civil Surgery among the Ancient Romans Dr. Dana 4. Silphium: the Plant that made Cyrene Famous Dr. Walton 5. The Gods of the Underworld Dr. Garrison 6. The Chronicist Enguerrand de Monstrelet Dr. Gerster 7. The confession Dr. Bailey 8. Erasistratus Forbear Dr. Walton 9. Magic, Above and Below Dr. Jelliffe 10. The Oldest known Latin Version of Aristophanes Dr. Gerster ll. Parisanus and Primrose on the Errors of Harvey Dr. Pilcher 12. Eminent Physicians A statistical study Dr. Dana
VOL U ME VI 1. Cogitations of a Crank who is trying to Reform Dr. Walton 2. A Letter on the Theory of Music Dr. Gerster 3. Dr. Gerster: As Man and Scholar Dr. Sachs 4. Tribute to the Memory of Arpad G. Gerster Dr. Pilcher 5. Demokedes, the Kratonian Dr. Meara 6. Silence Translated by Dr. Gerster 7. Dr. John Ursinus, the Father of Opotherapy Dr. Dana 8. Sonnet to Clio Dr. Dana 9. Relief Map of Mt. Desert Island Dr. Abbe 10. How to Tell a Druid from a Dryad Dr. Walton 11. The poems of Henry Head Dr. Peterson l2' John Baskerville and the Baskerville Press Dr. Meara 13. Homesickness Dr. Peterson 14. The Cave-Dweller's Dream Dr. Peterson 15. Our Seal Dr. Walton
V a L U M E VII 1 The History of the Signet Ring Bearing the Seal of the Charaka Club C.N.B. Camac February 18, 1925 2 Norman Ornamentation George L. Walton January, 1926 Genesis of the Charaka Club=Raghunathan 253
3 An Epistle from Quintus Flaccus to C.L.D. Frederick Peterson January, 1926 4 Horologium Novi Eboraci Walter Mendelson February 16, 1927 5 Walter Belknap James Joseph Collins April, 1927 6 The Etchings and Drypoints of Edmund Blampied, R.E Henry H.M. Lyle January, 1928 7 The Stuff that Dreams are made of Edward L.Keys January, 1928 8 Paul Geraldy, A Modern Madrigalist of France Joseph Collins January, 1928 9 The Hierarchy of the Monros B. Sachs March, J928 10 The Papyrus industry of the Ancients C.N.B. Camac April, 1928 11 Education of the Barber Surgeons in France Edward C. Streeter November, 1928 12 Sketching Boats on the China Coast Robert Latou Dickinson " " 13 Pardon George David Stewart March, 1929 14 The Road George David Stewart 15 The Clicking of the Reel George David Stewart " " " 16 A tired Doctor's Prayer George David Stewart March, 1929 17 Action and Humor in Robert Laton Han Dynasty Decoration Dickinson April, 1929 18 Scattering Seeds George L Walton November, 1929 19 Robert Estienne, Scholar Printer Walter A Sketch Mendelson 20 On Receiving a Beautifu I " Cane from Paris, the Handle Contributed by a Rhinoceros George David Stewart 21 Again George David Stewart " " 22 The Journal of Jean Heroad, Francis R. " " Physician to Louis XI II Packard January 15, 1930 23 Don't Cut the string George David Stewart January, 1930 24 Bill McKeever's Soiree George David Stewart January, 1930
VOL UM E VIII I A reading from Andreae Vesalii, De humani Corporis Fabrica, Liber VII, De vivorumsectione nonnul!a Caput XIX Samuel W. Lambert February, 1932 2 George David Stewart Man and Poet Bernard Sachs April, 1933 3 A dream George David Stewart November 1932 4 Composition with the Camera George L. Wa][on 1930 5 Disease as shown in the " Diary of a Country Parson, Thomas McCrae April, 1932 6 To Julia, George David Stewart November, 1932 254 Bulletin Ind. Inst, Hlst. Med. Vol. VI 7 Upon Parrat George David Stewart •• 8 Hamlet, Gent Edwart L. Keyes January, 1931" 9 William Emerson Travels Abroad Haven Emerson April, 1932 10 To G F.B. attaining His Ninetieth Birthday George David Stewart November, 1931 11 The First Surgical Case Book of the Pennsylvania Hospital Francis Packard January, 1933 12 ] ames De Berty Trudeau: Artist. Archibald Soldier, Physician Malloch February 18, 1931 13 To Dr. Charles L. Dana Frederick Peterson 14 A Meeting with Robert Browning Bernard Sachs January, 1932 15 Johannes Baptista Porta Casey A. Wood April, 1933 16 Charles Burchfield, American Henry H.M. Lyle April, 1930 17 Wbat Medical Authors Need to know about Illustrating Robert Latou Dickinson January, 1933 18 The Doctor of Augustus-A Tale Arther S. Chittenden November, 1931 19 Major-General James Wolfe R. Tait McKenzie January, 1931 20 Doctors and Gardens Frederick Peterson February, 1931 21 To Mistresse Dorothy Parsons George David Stewart November, 1932 22 How He would Drinke His Wine George David Stewart 23 Browning's Copy of " " Linacre's Latin Grammar Archibald Malloch April 16, 1930 24 Aristocratic Bookplates and their working cousins Robert Latou Dickinson April, 1932 25 Sea Surgeons in the days of Oak and Hemp Karl M. Vogel February, 1932 VOLUME IX 1 Ercole Lelli and His Ecorche Harvey Cushing February. 1935 2 The Odyssey of the Hermaphrodite E.L. Keyes March 20, 1929 3 The Water-Hammer Pulse George Dock January 17, 1934 4 The Vagaries of a Vivisectionist Turned Clinical Surgeon and the Story of the Lady who Lay with a pig for Five Nights and Five Days on Professional Advise, Samuel W. Lambert April 18, 1934 5 The Manuscript of Dr. John Mitchell's Account of the Yellow Fever in Virginia in Francis R. Packard April 18, 1934 1741-42 written in 1748 6 Cactus Frederick Peterson February 21, 1934 7 Derelict •• 8 Illusion "., " •• " Genesis of the Charaka Club-Raghunathan 255
9 Lewis Stephen Pilcher Bernard Sachs January 19, 1935 10 From a Sketchbook of Dr. Arpad O. John Gerster, 1881 C. A. Gerster •• 11 Two Medical Sailors Karl Vogel January 20,"1931 12 Jewelry Walter Mendelson January 16, 1935 13 A Translation of Dies Irae Edward L Keyes January 20, 1931 14 Tobacco and Shakespeare Francis S. Mathews January 15, ]936 1~ Dr. Thomas McCrae Walter R. Steiner November 20, 1935 16 A Sea Change Edward L. Keyes January 15, 1936 17 The Medical School and Hospital of Gondi-Sapor and its Influence on Arabian Medicine Allen O. Whipple February 19:1936 18 The Century Archieves of the New York Medical and Surgical Society Foster Kennedy February 11, 1937 19 Aubade for Jamaica Edward L. Keyes April 17, 1935 20 Ancient Ball Games Fred B. Lund November 20, 1935 21 Charles Loomis Dana Bernard Sachs January 15, 1936 22 Stage Thunder Francis S. Mathews April 11, 1935 23 A Little talk with Emerson FrederickPeterson November 21,1934 24 The Continuity of Eastern Art George L. Walton November 18, 1936 25. Dr. Ward A, Holden Joseph Collins April 21, 1937 26. The Su bstance of a Dream Foster Kennedy November 21, 1934 27. Chuang's Dream Frederick Peterson February 21, 1934 28. He Stoppeth One of Three Edward L. Keyes Novenber 21, 1934 29. Two Incidents Rufus Cole January) 5, 1936 30. Dr. Robert Montgomery Bird Dudley Roberts January 26, 1931 31. Doctor Wang Li Frederick Peterson November 18, 1936 32. Translations from the Seventeen Books Concerning the Nature of Animals by Claudius Aelian (110-230 A. D.) Samuel W. Lambert November 18, 1936 33. Erosion Frederick Peterson February 21, 1934 34. The First Tale and the Second Tale Edward L. Keyes February 19, 1936 35. A Little known Collection of Medical books Francis R. Packard April 21, 1937 36. Our Cosmic Predicament Arthur S. Chittenden April 21, 1931 VOLUME X; 1. The story of Barbara Fritchie Walter R. Steiner April 19, 1939 2. Early Years of the Char aka Club Bernard Sachs April 17, 1940 3. Fig Leaves for Shakespeare and Montaigne Francis R. Packard January 11, 1940 4. Tact Facing Life and Death Edward L. Keyes November 11, 1937 5. The Morgue Samuel W. Lambert .. " 256 Bulletin Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. VI
6. Galen on Malingering Centaurs, Diabetes and other subjects Fred B. Lund January 17, 1940 7. The Rector's Dilemma Samuel W. Lambert April 20, 1938 8. Bill Hatch and the Classics, or Why Try to do anything New Cecil K. Drinker January 18, 1939 9. We all have a word for it S. Bernard Wortis January 17. 1940 10. The Mystery of Robert Seymour Samuel W. Lambert November 15, 1939 1I. Ramblings of A Rug Addict AIIen O. Whipple February 15, 1939 12, A Little Dook On Children and How it Grew Howard Reid Craig Jannary 11, 1939 13. The English Garden Rufus Cole February 21, 1940 14. Two Warnings from the Commonplace Samuel Book of a Family Doctor W. Lambert February 15, 1939 15. An Early P;II Slab a d the Lambeth Potters Geoffrey W. Rake February 21, 1940 16. A Physicians's Experience in the United States Sanitary Commission During the Civil War Walter R. Steiner February 16, 1938 17. Frederick Peterson. A Friend', Tribute Bernard Sachs November 16, 1939 18. Personal Recollections of Henry George Walter Mendalson November 16, 1938 19. Life and Death Masks S. Bernard Wortis February 16, 1938 20. The Medical Notions of a Roman Gentleman in the Second Century, A. D. Fred B. Lund April 19, 1939 21. Love and Lues Edward L. keye November 15, 1939 22. A note on the Satirical Writings of Richard Grant White Samuel W. Lambert November 16, 1938 23. The problem of the professional GJin Pig W. Osler Abbott February 15, 1939 VOLUME XI 1. Julie and Lamartine Peyton Rous 2. I he Lamentable Decline in " " Self-Satisfaction Edward L Keyes No vember 20, 1940 3. Translations Into Verse of Some of the Odes of Horace Fred B. Lund January 15, 1941 4. What is Time? Karl Vogel February 19, 1941 5. A visit to the Vatican Library Allen O. Whipple April 16, 1941 6. The Past, Present and Future of the Charaka Club Joseph Collins November 21, 1941 7. George L. Walton (1854-1941) Fred B. Lund November 19, 1941 8. Hitler and the Ring Louis Hausman January 21, 1942 Genesis of the Charaka Club =Raghun ithan 257
9. Pliny on the Painters of Ancient Greece Fred B. Lund 10. Paul Bunyan-All American S. Bernard Wortis February 18, 1942 11. Samuel Waldron Lambert (1859-1942) Henry S. Patterson & Foster Kennedy April 15, 1942 12. Some Reminiscences of Samuel W. Lambert Archibald Malloch April 15, 1942 13. Amicitia Piscatorum C. Bibacis & F. Lundi 14. Casey A. Wood (1856-194-2) Fred B. Lund November 18, 19'42 15. On Burning Old Letters Rufus Cole 16. The Grandmother, Modern Edward L. Keyes November" 18, 19It42 17. Impressions of New York's Irish Sixty Years Ago Henry S Patterson January 20, 1943 18. Walter Ralph Steiner (1870-1942) Rufus Cole April 21, 1943 19. William Osler Abbott (1902-1943) Archibald Malloch November 17, 1943 20. Esther Wheelwright (1696-1780) Henry H.M Lyle January 19, 1944 2l. Yesterday F. B. St. John 22. Bernard Sachs (1858-1944) Louis Hausman "Apri119, 1944" 23. The nature of the Detective Story Foster Kennedy April 19, 1944
REFERENCES
t. The Proceedings of the Charaka Club Vol. I (1902) - William Wood and Company, New York. 2. The Proceedings of the Charak Club Vol. II (1906) - William Wood and Company, New York. 3. The Proceedings of the Charaka Culb Vol. 111(1910) - William Wood and Company, New York. 4. The Proceedings of the Charaka Club Vol. IV (1916) - William Wood and Company, New York. S. The proceedings of the Charaka Club Vol. V (1919) - Paul B. Roeber, New York. 6. The Proceedings of the Charaka Club Vol. VI (1925)- Paul B. Hoeber, New York. 7, The Proceedings of the Charaka Club Vol. VII (1931) - Paul B. Roeber, Inc, New York. 8. The Proceedings of the Charaka Club Vol. VIII (1935)- Columbia University Press, New York. 9, The Proceedings of the Charaka Club Vol. IX (1938) - Richard R. Smith, New York. 10. The Proceedings of the Charaka Club Vol. X (1941) - The Williams & Wilkins Company, Baltimore. 11. The Proceedings of the Charaka Club Vol. X ( (19-l7) - Richard R. Smith, New York. 258 Bulletin Ind. Inst. Hilt. Med. Vol. VI
SUMMARY The present article provides a glimpse of the genesis of the Charaka Club, New York, and broadly the objects with which it was started. The paper provides gleanings from the deliberations related to Hindoo Medicine. A full list of titles of papers included in the article gathered from the proceedings of the .pub indicate the diverse fields of subjects covered besides medicine and medical history.
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