Asia

India

 The practices of ancient Hindu, or Vedantic, medicine (1500-1000 B.C) are described in the works of two later physicians, Charaka (lived about 2nd century ad) and Susruta (lived about 4th century ad). Susruta gave recognizable descriptions of malaria, tuberculosis, and diabetes. He also wrote about Indian hemp, or Cannabis, and henbane for inducing anaesthesia, and included specific antidotes and highly skilled treatments for bites of venomous snakes. An ancient Hindu drug derived from the root of the Indian plant Rauwolfia serpentina was the source of the first modern tranquilliser. In the field of surgery, the Hindus are acknowledged to have attained the highest skill in all antiquity. They were probably the first to perform successful skin grafting and plastic surgery for the nose. With the rise of Buddhism the study of anatomy was prohibited, and with the Muslim conquest of India, beginning around 1000 B.C, the field of medicine further declined and ultimately stagnated. Nevertheless, much valuable knowledge concerning hygiene, diet, and surgery was passed to the West through the writings of Indian physicians.  

China

Chinese physicians believed that diseases result from imbalances in two life forces, Yin and Yang, which flow through the body. Drugs and other treatments were intended to restore this balance. Hundreds of ancient herbal medicines, including iron for anaemia, mercury for syphilis, arsenic for skin diseases, and opium, are still used in traditional Chinese medicine. Other Chinese medicines and techniques, including acupuncture, are now commonly used in Western medicine. Most Chinese medicine was based on a famous textbook, the Nei Ching, written by Emperor Huang Ti between 479 and 300 B.C. Chinese physicians specialized in treating wounds, fractured bones, allergies, and other diseases. They diagnosed patients by asking questions about symptoms, diet, and previous illnesses, and by checking the patient’s pulse.