Virtual Whistler

Surgery was not new to the ancient people. Indian scientist Susruta has carried surgery. Ancient people all over the world used flints as surgical instruments. The difficulty was with flints.

In fact, they were also used to open abscesses and to let blood. The teeth of fish and sharp thorns were other instruments. Saws were used in amputation and they were made from flints and bones. Several mummies have shown the results of such operations.

In the bronze and iron age tools were made of those metals. They include scissors, iron needles etc. Even complicated surgical instruments were used. The relics of Pompeii have shown such instruments. But in ancient times even for thousand year's surgery was performed without anesthesia.

Today modern surgery has become possible due to the discovery of anesthesia and prevention of infection.

'Sustra Samhita' an Indian treatise gives facts about surgery practiced in olden days.