‘Modern’ and ‘ancient’ are not fixed terms with respect to medicines. Modern medicine had its origin in antiquity as the Oath of Hippocrates, which dates back to 500 BC, continues to be the oath of present-day physicians.
It is the western system, now called modern medicine, which had gone through several transitions, said noted cardiac surgeon M.S. Valiyathan.
Speaking at a session to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier, organised by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Dr. Valiyathan said possibly Vaidyaratnam could be considered as one of the changemakers in Ayurveda as opening an institution for its study and drug formulations had been a stepping stone in its development as a modern treatment system.
Except for Europe, where every aspect of life was influenced heavily by the Renaissance movement, other ancient civilisations like China, India and Egypt had not gone through similar transitions in traditional knowledge. But changes have occurred over time in the way Ayurveda has been practised, he observed.
