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Ayurveda
: Ancient Heritage in the Age of Globalisation
with emphasis on only facts and figures with neither
methodology nor direction. Similar is the approach of
Devaraj (1972) who authored a short book on Kerala
Panchakarma
medicine. Neenvathi (1979) narrates the
Siddha systems in the same fashion but adds a list of the
medical authorities of this systems. Historical examination
of Siddha theorists is present neither in this paper nor in
the independent book on this theme by Iyer (1933). This
has been, however, briefly discussed in the papers by
Gurusiromani (1983) and Krishnamurthy and Mouli
(1984). Another paper by Ganapathiraman (1980) is
confined only to the fundamental diagnostic methods in
Siddha system. Coming back to the folk system, reference
must be made to two successful works of Bodding (1925)
who studied Santhal medicine, and Hemalatha and Reddy
(1982) who worked on folk medicine in Andhra Pradesh.
Combined together these works offer valuable insights
into the non-Ayurvedic dimension of the medical system
in India. Among other subjects studied in relation to the
Ayurveda, philosophy appears to be major one. Stress on
the philosophical aspect of Indian medicine was but a
natural outcome of the notion of other - worldliness of
ancient Indians developed as stereotype by conventional
historiography. Since material growth of Indian medicine
appeared incomparablewith the allegedotherworldliness
