Sari segala ubat: Borneo's medical manuscript
Malay medical manuscripts contain knowledge on medical philosophy, history, pharmaceutical practice and prescriptions used by the Malay over several centuries. Up to 2016, there were only 11 publications on Malays ancient medical literature. Hence, this study adds to the effort of reviving the...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Conference or Workshop Item |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2018
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/66951/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/66951/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/66951/1/66951_Sari%20Segala%20Ubat.pdf |
| Summary: | Malay medical manuscripts contain knowledge on
medical philosophy, history, pharmaceutical
practice and prescriptions used by the Malay over
several centuries. Up to 2016, there were only 11
publications on Malays ancient medical literature.
Hence, this study adds to the effort of reviving the
value of Malay intellectual heritage for further
medical research. The main interest in this study is
Sari Segala Ubat, a Borneo Malay medical
manuscript from early 19th century Pontianak. It
documents the medical prescriptions of Tama,
purportedly a royal physician to the Sultanate of
Pontianak in West Kalimantan. This exploratory
study found that the manuscript covers treatments
for at least 51 physical health conditions in addition
to spiritual illnesses. There are 17 single compound
prescriptions, 87 compounded prescriptions and 27
spiritual healing methods used. Therapeutic
methods involved oral consumption, external
application and mantera. Both local and imported
ingredients employed were used including several
with specific Borneo connection such as bengkala,
bulangan and tutang. The study sheds more light
on the medical practice of the Malays at the turn of
the 19th century Borneo, in particular the West
Kalimantan region, and comparative analysis with
other Malay medical texts and contemporary
scientific literatures would be the next step in the
data-mining of this text. |
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