________________
550 : Scientific Contents in Prākrta Canons
a poisonous material and (iii) sight and touch. It effects flesh, bone-marrow and blood too. It seems that serpents, scorpions etc. were very common in canonical age of village culture. That is why a good amount of description about them and treatment of their bites is found in canons. Urine drinking, earth poultice, blood extracting, sucking and branding the bitten points and drinking gold water were the normal treatments40. Use of concentrated amulet and occult arts were also in vogue. These were practiced even in eighth century. Ugraditya had added much more to this branch. Now-a-days, different chemical compounds of toxic nature have been prepared. Insecticides, pesticides, wormicides and the like are also toxic to human beings though not to such an extent as to small creatures. They do not find mention in canons. Besides, many more poisonous creatures have been observed and their toxicity points and components together with a variety of medication have been added. Surgery
The diseases under surgery are mostly accidental. Examples of abscess, cuts, wounds, goitre, fistula, piles and internal thorns are found in different canons. They were treated through various surgical practices and medications as mentioned earlier. The medical practitioner was supposed to carry all his practicing equipments with him all the times. One could form an idea about the progress of surgery when one listens to bye-pass, heart and other transplantation surgeries of today. They were not known or per chance not necessary in canonical ages. Death and After
Medication is meant to delay the death as much as one can. The livingness is defined as an activity or energy due to ( i-V) five senses, ( vi-viii ) speech, mind and body, ( ix ) respiration and (x) life-span. These are knwon as 'Prānas' or vitalities. The living one is 'Prāni' because of them54. Death denotes loss of Prāņa or devitalisation at the destruction of
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
