J. Antall szerk.: Medical history in Hungary 1972. Presented to the XXIII. International Congress of the History of Medicine / Orvostörténeti Közlemények – Supplementum 6. (Budapest, 1972)
M. Vida : Serving two Nations: Tivadar Duka (1825—1908)
i /¡_ 2 Medical History in Hungary 1972 (Comm. Hist. Artis Med. Suppl. 6.) then tubbing of the cuticle with a wisp made of bamboo-downs which prevented the examination of the blood-vessels, the nervous system or even the muscular system. Another significant aspect of ancient Indian healing was the advanced stage of surgery even by 19th century standards. For example it knew four methods for stopping the flow of blood: styptic medicaments, ice, caustics and by using burning iron. They were also skilled in cupping and scarification possessed the necessary tools for all that. 2 0 Later on medical practice developed in the direction of exactness when the Bagdad school (Geber, Ali Abbas, Abulcasis, Avicenna, etc.) was introduced, which was partly based on the works of Hippocrates and Galen. Both Hindu and Muslim prejudices contributed to the discontinuation of dissections and surgery was equally despised. The result was that the upper-class Hindu doctors, the kabiraj, acquired only theoretical knowledge in Sanskrit. Listing their studies Duka mentions naduna, i.e. internal diagnostics and its interpretation as the first and main subject. That covered the causes of the disease, its prehistory, the present symptoms, diagnosis, pathology, and finally meditations on the diversity of body fluids. In addition those preparing for the medical professions had to study therapy, pharmacology and dietetics (ratnavali, chakrapanidatta and puthyá pathya), the physiological effects of medicines, hygiene (raja vallųva) and finally the meaning of medical terms (paribhásha). 2 1 Teaching based only on "doctrines" did not bring practical results, especially not in the fight against the recurring epidemics which regularly decimated the population. In spite of that —due to religious and political considerations —it took twelve years until European medical practice based on empiricism was accepted and could take roots. Duka remained in Monghyr until 1862. It was here that he became interested in orientalism and recognized that any study of the modern Indian dialects was inconceivable without a thorough knowledge of Sanskrit or Persian. As his medical duties took up most of his time he studied mainly the second, the standard language of Muslim India. His books and manuscripts presented later to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences bear testimony to his studies. By acknowledgement of his medical and administrative services in 1866 he was appointed to Simla, the summer seat of the Viceroy and the government, and two years later to the mountain station of the nearby Kasaul to be medical supervisor of the Lawrence Asylum, whence he was transferred to Darjeeling in 1870. This last station was the true remuneration of his medical services. Here he could study Tibetan Buddhism, on which Sándor Körösi Csorna spent most of his life. This place offered the best ground for preparing to write his major literary work, the life of the great Hungarian oriental traveller. At this beautiful part of Sikkim Buddhism was a living force drawing its inspiration, customs and even its priests from Lhassa, "the Rome of Tibet". Darjeeling was the residence for a long time of all the European pioneers 2 0 Ibid. pp. 355-356. 2 1 Ibid. p. 393.
