Diseases and Treatments: A Reflection from Medieval Assam

Abstract

Like the political, environmental, and socio-economic history, the history of medicine has always occupied a special place in Indian history through the ages. Its significance, especially from a sociocultural perspective cannot be ignored. No separate work deals with the diseases that the people had been suffering in Medieval Assam. The contemporary sources of Buranjis (chronicles of Ahoms), Persian and other traveler’s accounts highlighted a number of diseases suffered by the indigenous people and the invading armies. Hence, we get valuable information from their accounts regarding the infections, diseases, and health of the people of Medieval Assam. The present paper, therefore, tries to explore the various types of diseases that occurred in Medieval Assam. The paper also attempts to provide a detailed account of the methods of treatment of various illnesses and its connection with the superstitious belief.