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King Parakrama-Bahu I (1153-1186 A.C.) who was also well versed in
medicine helped qualified physicians practise their skills by providing
them with due maintenance.
It is thought here necessary to give a more detailed explanation of the
Sinhalese Hospital tradition to provide an idea of the extent to which
the Sinhalese had advanced in hospital care. The ninth century Mihintale
hospital which has the distinction of being the oldest hospital yet
discovered in any part of the world as seen earlier, was quite a complex
structure.
The hospital is believed to have been founded by King Sena II (851-885 A.C.) on the basis of evidence in the Chulavansa.
As shown by recent archaeological excavations the hospital complex
comprised of an outer and inner court.
The rooms used for the preparation and storage of medicines and the hot
water bath were situated in the outer court. The discovery of stone
querns used in the grinding of herbs in the outer court area suggests
that the preparation of medicines took place thereabouts.
The inner court in common with later hospitals, was surrounded by a
number of cells where the patients appear to have been treated.
A slab inscription of Mahinda IV (956-972 A.C.) near the hospital
alludes to physicians who apply leeches and dispensers of
medicine. Other hospitals of the medieval period which have been
excavated are the Medirigiriya and Polonnaruwa hospitals.
Excavations at Mediri-giriya, where a hospital is believed to have
flourished in the ninth century, have revealed a stone medicine trough
and querns for grinding medicine.
Excavations at the Polonnaruwa hospital site have revealed medicine
grinders, a pair of scissors, ceramic jars for the storage of medicines
and a hooked copper instrument which was probably used for incising
abscesses.
The construction of the hospital is assigned to King Parakramabahu I
(12th century).
Literary and epigraphic evidence however indicates there were many more
hospitals and other institutions for the handicapped in existence in
ancient and medieval Sri Lanka.
According to the Chulavansa, the kings Buddhadasa and Upatissa II built
institutions for cripples and hospitals for the blind.
Upatissa II was probably also responsible for building the country"s
first ever maternity home, while Kasyapa IV had specialized hospitals
built in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa to combat Upasagga, which is
believed to have been an epidemic disease.
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