This principles and doctrines of this system,
both fundamental and applied, have a close similarity to Ayurveda,
with specialization in Iatro-chemistry. According to this system
the human body is the replica of the universe and so are the food
and drugs irrespective of their origin.
Like Ayurveda, this system believes that all objects in the universe
including human body are composed of five basic elements namely,
earth, water, fire, air and sky. The food, which the human body
takes and the drugs it uses are all, made of these five elements.
The proportion of the elements present in the drugs vary and their
preponderance or otherwise is responsible for certain actions and
therapeutic results.
As in Ayurveda, This system also considers the human body as a
conglomeration of three humours, seven basic tissues and the waste
products of the body such as faeces, urine and sweat. The food is
considered to be basic building material of human body which gets
processed into humours, body tissues and waste products. The equilibrium
of humours is considered as health and its disturbance or imbalance
leads to disease or sickness.
This system also deals with the concept of salvation in life. The
exponents of this system consider achievement of this state is possible
by medicines and meditation.
Materia Medica in Siddha medicine system
The system has developed a rich and unique treasure of drug knowledge
in which use of metals and minerals is very much advocated. Some
idea about the depth of knowledge the system possesses in the field
of mineral, materia medica can be formed from the detailed drug
classification, briefly described below:
++There are 25 varieties of water-soluble inorganic compounds called
‘UPPU.
These are different types of alkalies and salts.
++There are 64 verities of mineral drugs that do not dissolve in
water but emit,
vapors when put in fire. Thirty-two of these are
natural and remaining are
artificial.
++There are Seven drugs that do not dissolve in water but emit vapor
on
heating.
The system has classified separately classes of metals and alloys,
which melt when, heated and solidifies on cooling. These include
items like gold, silver, copper, tine, lead and iron. These are
incinerated by special processes and used in medicine.
There is a group of drugs that exhibit sublimation on heating and
includes mercury and its different forms like red sulphide of mercury,
mercuric chloride and red oxide of mercury etc.
Sulpher, which is insoluble in water, finds a crucial place in
Siddha materia medica along with mercury for use in therapeutics
and in maintenance of health.
The above classification shows detailed knowledge and study of
minerals that this system has evolved for treatment. In addition
there are drugs obtained from animal sources. The system has published
and hand-book on Siddha treatment for common diseases and ailments.
Chemistry in Siddha medicine system
In Siddha system chemistry had been found well developed into a
science auxiliary to medicine and alchemy. It was found useful in
the preparation of medicine as well as in transmutation of basic
metals into gold. The knowledge of plants and mineral were of very
high order and they were fully acquainted with almost all the branches
of science. The Siddhars were also aware of several alchemical operations
divided into several processes such as – calcinations, sublimation,
distillation, fusion, separation conjunction or combination, congelation,
cibation, fermentation, exaltation i.e. the action or process of
refining gold, fixation i.e. bringing to the condition of being
non-volatile i.e. to the state of resisting the action of fire,
purification, incineration of metals, liquifaction, extraction and
so on.
Even cupellation of gold and silver which is an essential process
in Alchemy in which is claimed to have been discovered by the Arabs,
was known to the Siddhars long long before.
They were even polypharmacists and as such were engaged in boiling,
dissolving, precipitating and coagulating chemical substances. Some
of their secret methods, especially those in fixing and consolidating
certain volatile substances that could not resist the action of
fire, such as Mercury, Sulphur, Orpiment, Vermilion, Arsenic etc.
continue still a mystery.
Strength in Siddha Medicine System
The Siddha system is capable of treating all types of disease other
than emergency cases. In general this system is effective in treating
all types of skin problems particularly Psoriasis, STD, urinary
tract infections, diseases of liver and gastro intestinal tract,
general debility, postpartum anaemia, diarrhoea and general fevers
in addition to arthritis and allergic disorders.
Basic Diagnosis and Treatment in Siddha medicine system
The diagnosis of disease involves identifying its causes. Identification
of causative factors is done through the examination of pulse reading,
urine examination, examination of eyes, study of voice, colour of
body, examination of the tongue and status of the digestive system
of human body. The system has worked out detailed procedure of urine
examination, which includes study of its colour, smell, density,
quantity and oil drop-spreading pattern. Diagnosis involves the
study of person as a whole as well as his disease.
This Siddha system of medicine emphasis’s that the medical
treatment shall be oriented not merely to disease but has to take
into account the patient, his environment, the meteorological consideration,
age, sex race, habits, mental frame, habitat, diet, appetite, physical
condition, physiological constitution etc. This means the treatment
has to be individualized with far less chances of committing mistakes
in diagnosis of treatment.
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