Investigation of the Surgical Methods in the “Secret History of the Mongols” / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

ABSTRACT

@#In the 13th century, a wound caused by an arrowhead was healed by scorching the surface of the injury. For instance, in the early 13th century during a battle, Ugudei Khaan was shot in the neck. One of his knights, Borokhul, sucked a blood clot from the wound and carried him on his horse. When Chinggis Khaan saw them, he grieved, wept, and ordered a fire to be made. After scorching Ugudei’s wound, he gave him something to drink and waited to fight their enemies. We came across instances of curing injuries with dairy products in the Secret History of Mongolia. In one case, when he was wounded in the neck, Chinggis Khaan traveled with difficulty and camped in a battle field at sunset. </br> One of Chinggis’ knights, Zelme, nursed him by sucking blood until midnight. He cared for the unconscious Khaan by himself, not trusting others. When midnight passed, Chinggis Khaan woke up and said “blood has dried and I am thirsty.” Zelme took off his hat, boots and deel (dressing-gown), leaving only underwear and entered their enemy’s camp. He searched for eseg (mare’s milk) on carriages of commoners who camped behind the military camp. However, he couldn’t find any eseg because the refugees hadn’t milked their mares. Therefore, he stole a leather sack of tarag (a drink made by fermenting the milk of sheep, goat, or cow) and carried it back to his camp. </br> Nobody saw Zelme, God might have blessed him. Zelme gave Chinggis Khaan the tarag mixing it with water to drink. Chinggis Khaan had the drink and said he felt relieved. At that time it was dawn. One of the achievements of Traditional Mongolian Medicine of that time was curing wounds with the help of surgical means. In the beginning, the Mongolians got much knowledge of animal anatomy by dismembering joints and internal organs of different animals while slaughtering. Afterwards, based on their knowledge of animal anatomy, they set bones and cured wounds. Additionally, they broadened their knowledge by performing autopsies on dead bodies, etc. In 1263, during one of the battles between the Mongolian and South Sun nation troops, which the Sun lost, Zuukhar was hit by 3 arrows. The arrowhead in his left shoulder could not be removed. Hyavtsag opened the wound with the help of two men who were sentenced to death (these people were Sun nation) and examined if the arrow could possibly be removed. Finally, he was able to remove the arrow from Zuukhar’s body. Thence, the Mongolians of that time performed autopsies as well as surgical treatment along with medical treatment. </br> In the mid-13th century, Traditional Mongolian curing methods were rapidly developing. The Mongolian army had special doctors to cure injured soldiers. According to some sources, in the early 13th century, there was a position of “military doctor,” among Chinggis Khaan’s army. When generals or troops got injured, the military doctor was ordered to cure them by a fixed deadline.