Study of Allopathic Medical System in Kashmir Valley (1864-1900) Davood Ahmad Khanday & Dr
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International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue-01 January 2018 Study of Allopathic Medical System in Kashmir Valley (1864-1900) Davood Ahmad Khanday & Dr. Shanti Dev Sisodia 1Research scholar Jiwaji University Gwalior [email protected] 2Assistant Professor Jiwaji University Gwalior [email protected] Abstract During the colonial era,missionary doctors medical work. Present study will focus on the tend to reachremote areas of the world majorly progress made by Kashmirin the field of for treating sick people and to expertise in the medicine with the help of missionaries. It will field.Similarly, the back side of the work was to also discuss at length and breadth the pass the sacred massage of Jesus into the contribution of these medical missionaries heathen lands and the best mode was medicine. healing bodies of Kashmiris during the area of The Kashmir valley came to benefit from such study. missionaries in 2nd half of 18th century. During 1. Introduction the time, the health system of people was very Kashmir has been ruled by different dynasties poor as they totally were dependent on the from time to time by both locals and foreigners ancient medical systemslike Ayurveda and belonging to different religions. The rulers unani.With the advent of 19th century, Kashmir were tyrant as well as resourceful which witnessed various diseases, famines and floods. effected all the domains of life.1. The The first aide by state govt. was totally production from land could hardly earn miserable as they were interested only in livelihood but still people could enjoy their life collecting the revenue. The health system was provided the ruler was sympathetic but if the degrading day-by-day in all spheres of life and same happened to be cruel the consequences people were in all the way hoping some were altogether different.Kashmir had seen miracle that can only improve their health gooddays in religion, medicine, philosophy, system.And by the advent of Christian literature, sculpture and astronomy. Charaka missionariesin 2nd half of 19th century, with and Narhari were two famous writers on medicine as the foremost tool to propagate medical science that flourished in early Christianity, people take a sigh of relief as they periods2. During Muslim rulemany rulers opened various health dispensaries at their ascended the throne but Zain-ul-Abdin is the own cost. Firstly, it was Rev Clark after his two one who is still remembered by every Kashmiri seasonally visitsto Kashmirwith his wife Hindu or Muslim and is famous by the name of Elizabeth opened first dispensary in Downtown “Badh Shah”. He promoted medicine and all Srinagar. The trend was continued by most theother important social welfare departments famous medical missionary doctors of the times during his reign (1420-70 A.D). His whole life who emanated to the valley and spend either remained busy in social works to uplift his whole or the best of their life in Kashmir, subjects. He was a great lover of art, literature treating people.This work of medical and science and patronised all brainy scholars missionaries had far-reaching effects on all the and learned men. He translated many important domains on Kashmir valley especially on Persian booksto Sanskrit and vice versa3. The Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 1559 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue-01 January 2018 women healthwas given prominent importance, because almost all the rulershappened to be hakims and vaidyas bloomed during his tenure. tyrants who just made the life of people At that time, the name Shri Bhatta who was a miserable10.During the visit of some Britishers court physician had a name along with the in 2nd half of the 19th century, a report came other hakims and vaidyas. Once when the from Dy. Commissioner performing a special emperor Zain-ul-Abdin was suffering from a duty by visiting Cashmere, to Government of malicious boil which couldn‟t be cured by the Punjab on 10 December 1861 that “The people hakims and vaidyas of the court, Shri Bhatta in Kashmir are wretchedly poor and in other was called to cure the same who did it country their state would be almost one of successfully. Thereafter he had a good place in starvation and famines”11.By these thoughts, the royal court among other physicians. He was since Britishers started to visit Kashmir and it also promoted as officer-in-charge of medical was firstly the Rev Clark who after his two sciences in the empire. The other vaidyas who seasonally visitswith his wife Elizabeth opened served in his court and flourished medical first dispensary in Downtown Srinagar city12. science were Karpura Bhatta, Siva Bhatta and The other namely Moorcroftwith his visit, Ramanand. The king himself was interested in wrote that,“at one time I see the condition of medical science and used to personally people very bad, suffering from most deadly prescribe medicines to the patients4andopened diseases”13. So, their advent was welcomed by many schools and helped the students by the people as it was the right time to heal providing them all type of facilities for bodies and save souls. It was also very learningsubjects5. The emperor opened many fortunate moment for the people of valley that hospitals and dispensarieswhere well trained somebody came to them to give them a little midwives from Samarqand served. He sent relief from their sufferings. The picture of rest many scholars to central Asia and India to learn of India was totally different the missionaries science and other branches. He was a great had started medical work before a long time patronas many scholars from other places also and now at various places hospitals and came to his court due to his interest in dispensers were erected and people get learning6,7.Similarly, the natural calamities like opportunity to use western medicines to floods, earthquakes, destructive fires and overcome different diseases14. dangerous diseases were putting hurdles in this 2. Medical missionaries and their work progress. Nature had always been cruel in the in valley valley, as floods were followed by famines. There have been various eminent and profound Floods were caused by early rainfall or snow in researchers that have visited the Kashmir the harvesting season, which destroyed the valley and are discussed as under crops. These natural calamities dramatically 2.1. Clarks affect the demographic structure of the valley, Rev. Robert Clark and his wife Elizabeth one among was the deadly disease cholera that where the two first evangelists who started had affected the valley from centuries. The working in Srinagar. Despite a little opposition cholera was first experienced in 15988 (end of from ruling class they managed to rent a house 16th century). Thescarcity of food resulted in in downtown Srinagar, but when they entered sickness and starvation9 and even during the house they had to face opposition from the Afghan, Sikh and Dogra rule the trend people too. They did not lose hope and shift to continued and people had to suffer a lot one of the state headquarters which was later Available online: https://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/IJR/ P a g e | 1560 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://edupediapublications.org/journals Volume 05 Issue-01 January 2018 named by people as European Quarters. Mr annually. He also received cloistered aid from Clark and his wife were devoted evangelists within the United Kingdom. He devotes all that and worked with great zeal and in a very less money to improve the health condition of time they were very close to the people15. It people in the vale. To be more effective was the couple who opened the first allopathic Elmslie learned kashmiri, Sanskrit and Persian, dispensary in Srinagar near Nawa Kadal on so that he could understand the native people May 2, 1864. The dispensary engrossed the well.After few years he translated English to attention of people and became well-known to Kashmiri dictionary which helped his the whole society in less time. Patients successors in understanding the society18. increased day-in and day-out, therefore the As he started his work the number of patients Clarks wanted to stay whole year, but the was less but at the end pf the same month the permission was not granted.At that time number of patients was 53, means the number permission was not given to any European to of patients increased very fast. For first stay for the whole year in Kashmir they must summer the number of patients was very high leave during winters, therefore the couple (over 2000 patients), which reveals the work of worked for two summers in the valley and laid doctor. To baptise the patients a special a foundation stone for the coming preaching address was given to the patients and doctors16.Thus Clarks will be known to every their attendants in kashmiri became every day kashmiri for their work in the valley and the work. The dispensary became famous in less enthusiasm with which he faced all the hurdles time and people from faraway villages started placed in the way by the state and people. to come also. Elmslie was an able doctor, a 2.2. Dr. Elmsile good surgeon who was the first to use The system familiarized by Clarks was the chloroform inhalation and saved the lives of his modern system of medicine developed in west patients.