Charaka was born around 300 BC. He is believed to have been a wandering Buddhist monk and physician, and was one of the principal contributors to the ancient art and science of ayurveda. He wrote a famous treatise called 'Charak Samhita', which is used as a reference book even today.
Charaka was the first physician to present the concept of digestion, metabolism, immunity, and the fundamental of genetics.
He studied the anatomy of the human body and various organs, and calculated 360 as the total number of bones, including teeth, present in the human body. He wrongly believed that the heart has one cavity, but he was right when he considered it to be a controlling centre.
Charaka never just treated diseases. He would first study all the factors, including enviornment, which influence a patient's disease, and only then, prescribe a course of treatment. To this day, Charaka is called the father of medicine, and is famed for his power to illuminate the reason for illness with the lamp of knowledge and understanding.
Found here (affiliate link)
Comments