This article is based on information on the Institute and its activities which have been gratefully received from Dr. Momin Ali, its Assistant Director in charge.
 

History of the Institute

The idea of founding an institute for the study of medical history in India was born in the mind of the eminent medical historian, Prof. Henry E. Sigerist, way back in 1944, then Director of the John Hopkins Institute in Baltimore, and earlier, Director of the Institute of the History of Medicine in Leipzig. On touring India in the last days of the British Raj, he found that "ancient and medieval medicine are still alive and practised on a large scale." As one of the six overseas experts and advisors invited by the Health Survey and Development Committee, also known as Bhore Committee, he submitted his idea in the form of a memorandum. His proposal was accepted.

 Accordingly, during the post-independent period, a Department of History of Medicine was established in the Raja of Panagal Buildings, situated on a high sand-hill, overlooking the city of Visakhapatnam and the Bay of Bengal. India was the first country in the British Commonwealth to open a Department of History of Medicine. After the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, the Department shifted to the Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad (photo page 26) which is a Unani (*) Medical College.
 

(*) Unani medicine, through the Persian and Arabic tradition goes back to Galenic, Hippocratic and Pythagorean views of medical practice and having passed through the filter of Avicenna, it acquired many elements of Aristotelian philosophy. (H.E. Sigerist, 1944)
 Since 1979, under the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India), the Institute has established a museum, library, a reprographic & audio-visual section, as well as a teaching, research and publication wing.

 The library is also comprised of microfilms on old and rare medical manuscripts, books, articles, catalogues, etc. Slides and audio-cassettes of interviews on the subject 'History of Medicine' are also accessible.
 

Aims  & Objectives
 

The Institute focuses on a number of aims and objectives:

* Collection of medical manuscripts, old and rare books on Ayurveda, Unani and other medical cultures in Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic and vernacular languages;
* Detailed study of medical manuscripts and publications of descriptive notes on them;
* Translations of selected passages from ancient medical classics;
* Collection and study of medical information in archaeological and epigraphical sources, records and archives;
* Preparation of biographies of physicians, authors and commentators of classical medical literature;
* Study of the historical development and evolution of medical theories, diseases, drugs and individual branches of medicine;
* Collection of medical information from account of foreign travellers in India;
* State of medicine and health and biographies of physicians during specific historical periods;
* Studies in folk/tribal medicine;
* Indigenous medicine of Andhra Pradesh;
* Collection of news & notes pertaining to India;
* Collection and editing of international news & notes of medico-historical value;
* Referral services and guidance to research scholars;
* Arrangements of exhibitions and seminars on special occasions to demonstrate the development of medicine in India;
* Book reviews;
* Publication of Bulletin and Monographs.
 

Publications
 
 Between 1963 and 1965, and uninterruptedly  since 1971, the Institute has been publishing a journal called "Bulletin of Indian Institute of History of Medicine". Since 1978 the annual volume combines four issues together.

 The Bulletin presents research papers on medical commentaries and commentators, English translations of Arabic and Persian medical texts, manuscripts with annotated translations, biographies of eminent physicians or scholars of any medical culture, news & notes, and book reviews on History of Medicine.

Moreover, books and monographs are published regularly.
 
For details contact:

Dr. Momin Ali
Assistant Director in charge
Indian Institute of History of Medicine
Osmania Medical College Building
3rd Floor, Putlibowli
Hyderabad 500 095
India

Phone / Fax: 91- 40- 4657388