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* A paper read before the Ceylon Branch of the B. M. Association on the
15th. April 1905. Ancient Theories of Causation of Fever by Mosquitoes.* By
His Excellency Sir Henry A. Blake. G. C. M. G. Etc.
Governor of Ceylon. Reprinted from the Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the British Medical
Association. Vol 11. Part 1. 1905. In the course of inquiries into the causation of an epidemic of
malarial fever in Mutwal, a division of the town of Colombo, last year,
I received a report from fifteen members of the Sinhalese Medical Asso-
ciation, in which it was mentioned incidentally that according to ancient
authorities on Ayurvedic medicine the chief causes of the disease are im-
pure air and water and the existence of mosquitoes. I requested more pre-
cise information showing that mosquitoes were associated with the causa-
tion of malarial fever and in reply I received extracts from ancient In-
dian works, among them an extract from Susruta, a Sanskrit work compiled,
I am informed, from one of the lost Vedas. The age of the work is not
known, but as it was referred to in the works of a contemporary of Káli-
dása, the great Sanskrit poet who flourished in the sixth century of the
Christian era, the work is at least 1,400 years old. The following are the passages. They are taken from the Sanskrit
edition published in 1873, and will be found at pages 43 and 45 (Kalpasthanam)
:--(Eleven lines of Sanskrit follow) Translation. KITA. Life-destroying terrific twelve
kinds:-- Tunginása Mandalapuchchhaka
Vichilaka Tunganàbha
Tálaka Sarshapika
Wáhaka Avalguli
Koshtagára Sambuka
Krimikara Agnikíta |
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Agnikita. 2. "Their bite is as painful as that of serpents, and causes diseases
resulting from the three humours joined together; the bite, as if burnt
with caustic or fire, is red, yellow, white and pink colour, accompanied
by fever, pain of limbs, hair standing on end, pain, vomiting, diarrhoea,
thirst, heat, giddiness, yawning, shivering, hiccup, burning sensation,
intense cold, vesicles or pustules increasing, swelling, knots under the
skin, circles etc." (Two and a half lines Sanskrit) Translation. Masakah (Mosquitoes) are of five
kinds:-- Samudra Krishna
Parimandala Párwatiya
Hastimasaka "Their bite causes swelling on the part bitten, itching. As for the
parwatiya, it has similar qualities to life-taking insects." H. Sumangala, High Priest.
Principal, Vidyódaya College, Malagakanda. M. Ñanissara.
Assistant to the Principal, Vidyódaya College. I. Sarveswarasarma, Brahmin. Simon de Silva, Gate Mudaliyar
Chief Sinhalese Translator to Government. R. C. Kailasapillai, Mudaliyar,
March 3, 1905. Chief Tamil Translator to Government. That the translation should be verified satisfactorily I invited five
Sanskrit scholars of acknowledged authority to meet at Queen's House. The
translation is that unanimously adopted by these five gentlemen, who have
signed the extract. These passages, written possibly three thousand, and at least fourteen
hundred years ago, are of singular interest, foreshadowing as they do the
great discoveries of Manson and Ross. Truly there is no new thing under the sun. |
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(Copy.) To the Editor of the News:- Dr. H. A. Kelly, in a paper read before the
Johns Hopkins Medical Society on May 8th, said that the ear-
liest mention he has found of insects as carriers of disease
comes from the Island of Ceylon where the Governor is said to
have recently discovered in some native works, dating from the
sixth century, the description of various kinds of mosquitos
accused of causing malaria. This statement is not quite cor-
rect. In the Babylonian Talmud, Tractat Chethuboth, page 77,
is said that Rabbi Jochonon, who lived in the third century,
warned people from the flies of certain diseased men. In
the Midroshic Literature, known by the name of "Vayikro Rabbo"
paragraph 16, is also mentioned of flies carrying diseases.
There can be no doubt in the originality and age of these Tal-
mudic Works. I would like to know whether Dr. Kelly ignored these
documents, or did not know them. P. Farshish Baltimore, May 10th, 1905. |
