A brief history of recognition on urolithiasis before medieval period

Abstract

Urinary stone was first found by human as early as 4900 BC when the Egyptian monks applied emesis, catharsis, diuresis, and diaphoresis for its treatment which, as they claimed, can expel the stones out of the body occasionally. In 2700 BC, definite records on urinary stone were seen in Egytian papyrus which attempted to cure this disorder by sucking method. In the 4(th) century BC, the Greek physician Alexandria mentioned that such stones can be expelled after being smashed. By then, the Greeks recognized the existence of renal stone by describing its manifestations. Sushruta, an ancient Indian royal physician mentioned in 6(th) century BC, the picking up of stones by splints through the urethra and the complications of such disorder in his Sushrutasamhita. He also recommended the removal of stones through the perineal part. Unfortunately, many patients died of such operation. Ancient Roman physicians described such operation circumstantially and the herbs for its treatment in the 1(st) century BC. During the 10(th) century, the Arabian physician Abukasis was the first to advocate the method of smashing stones in the urethra with an instrument he devised. In the period before medieval age, the removal of urinary stones through the perineal incision had been the main method which was so limited an approach due to the lack of anatomical knowledge and antiseptic conception.