Medicine and the public sphere in colonial India

Abstract

In the current discourse on medicine, Unani system and its resistance against modem medicine (popularly known as Doctory) occupies little space. This is unfortunate for three reasons. Firstly, Unani's critique of Doctory is much more important than the critique offered by other indigenous systems such as Ayurved , for it claims to have given birth to a developed medical science in Europe. Secondly, Unani' s resistance to modem medicine acquired an added dimension during the course of communally charged anti-British movement. For, Unani ultimately came to be identified with or always represented the Muslims who formed the second largest party in the anti-colonial struggle.