Little is known of the medical science at Harappa and Mohenjodaro. Findings of cuttlefish bones stored in homes suggest that they were used for their medicinal value, as they are presently known to help cure skin, eye and throat diseases. Deer, antelope and rhino horns appear to have had medicinal value. The leaf of the neem tree, which has proven medical properties, was also probably used. In fact, the later medicinal science of ayurveda, which grew during the Vedic age, probably had its earliest roots in the Indus Valley.

The vedas themselves contain records of the medical practices at the time. The curative powers of various plants was known. But a large part of the vedas is myth; for example, there are descriptions of the Asvin, beings with miraculous healing powers. Hence the medical knowledge of the time is largely unknown.

As Hippocrates and Galen were to the Greeks and the Romans respectively, so were Charaka (1^st century CE) and Sushruta (4^th century CE) to the Indians.  Charaka is known for his work, the Charaka Samhita. It is the basis of Ayurveda, the traditional Indian school of medicine which uses only herbs and natural substances for treatment. Charaka put down a number of new ideas on digestion and metabolism in his work. He also covered various aspects of health, disease and remedy. Like Hippocrates of Cos, he put down the codes of conduct for physicians. His main concept, which is used by Ayurveda, was that the cause of the disease must be eliminated and not the symptoms. This was to be done via organic substances which would rectify the problem by fixing the body's metabolism. This emphasis on natural methods has made Ayurveda increasingly popular today because it does not have the side-effects associated with the chemical drugs used by western medicine.

 Sushruta described in his book, the Sushruta Samhita, various techniques in plastic surgery far ahead of their time. He gave an account of how a new nose or ear could be sculpted from existing facial tissue taken from the forehead or cheek. This account is amazingly similar to the modern surgical technique of the pedicle flap. He also conducted amputations and replaced the limbs with false ones made of iron.

Indians had knowledge of the caesarean section for delivering babies and developed the technique of setting various bone fractures. Their knowledge of plastic surgery (surgery for repairing damaged superficial tissue) surpassed that of all contemporary civilisations. Numerous accounts exist of noses, lips and ears lost or mutilated during war being repaired with great skill.

Health of the people became an important concern for the rich and religious institutions, which helped provide free medical services. During the reign of Asoka (ca.269-232 BCE), medicines were provided for men and animals; in the 5^th century CE free public hospitals have been described.

1. Peter James and Nick Thorpe, “Ancient Inventions”, (Ballantine Books, 1994), p. 22.