For verification of this paper, please visit on http://www.socialresearchfoundation.com/innovation.php#8

Mahatma Gandhi will be remembered for his various accomplishments, including his participation in India's independence movement, his battle for human rights, and his work for the disadvantaged, to mention a few. Gandhiji's approach to illness management by adopting basic, eco-friendly, and cost-effective approaches benefitted a number of individuals despite the limited medical facilities and treatments available at the time. He lived through a time of global turbulence and change and endured two World Wars, yet his outlook on life was straightforward. His charming demeanour earned him worldwide recognition and esteem. He had a very basic lifestyle and did his experiments on himself before recommending them to others. His legacy is as important in today's environment of rapid change. His teachings and practises might serve as a guiding force for future generations.

1. Gandhi M. Manorama-Tell Me Why, No.131:98

2. Gandhi MK. The Story of My Experiments with Truth: An autobiography 1927 Ahmedabad Navajivan Publishing House

3. Guha R. Gandhi-the Year that Changed the World (1914-1948), Penguin 2018

4. Lindley M. Gandhi on Health, Gandhi Research Foundation 2018

5. 1949 Bombay Incidents of Gandhiji's Life, Edited by Chandra Shanker Shukla, Vora & Co. Publishers, Ltd

6. Nayyar S. Medicine for the Masses. In Gandhi: His Life and work, published on his 75th birthday 1944

Gandhiji's role and contributions to the political arena are well-known, but his contributions to health are less so. Few people are aware that he was interested in studying medicine and desired to become a physician. There were two critical stages in Gandhiji's life: 1888 and 1908–1909, when he desired to get a medical degree and become a physician.

In 1888, when he was 18 years old, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi desired to study medicine in England. Two years ago, his father, who was a diwan or other high-ranking government official, died away. Gandhiji's older brother dissuaded him from pursuing a career in medicine on the grounds that their father would have disapproved of the choice; being Vaishnavas, the Gandhi family had little interest in dead corpses. Gandhiji instead studied law and became a lawyer, as his brother recommended would be more prudent.

However, even as he continued to practise law, Mahatma Gandhi continued to consider studying medicine in London. In 1909, however, he wrote to a friend that he had heard from some medical students that they had killed over fifty frogs while studying medicine. If so, he said that he had no desire to do the same since he did not want to kill or dissect frogs.

Gandhiji did not pursue a medical degree, but this did not decrease his interest in health and caring for the ill and underprivileged. He was as interested in health, cleanliness, nutrition, and illnesses as he was in politics. He maintained that implementing illness prevention strategies was preferable to therapy. In addition, he emphasised the need of cleanliness, a restricted diet, and an exercise programme, as well as the necessity of avoiding excessive medication use, particularly when it was unnecessary.

Gandhiji cared for the sick throughout his life, and there is enough evidence that he desired to be a physician rather than a lawyer. He practised law for almost twenty years before giving it up, but he never stopped helping the ill for as long as he lived. He was also a staunch believer in naturopathy and undertook nutrition and fasting-related tests. Instead of being sick and then trying to cure it with excessive medicine, he was always of the opinion that it was vital to understand what caused illnesses and then eliminate that source.

Sushila Nayyar, a physician and close companion of Mahatma Gandhi, said that if the purpose of science was to discover the truth, then Gandhiji, as a seeker of truth, was fundamentally a scientist. His attitude to issues was scientific. Since he adopted Ahimsa (nonviolence) and was a staunch opponent of vivisection, he was often critical of the allopathic medical system, but he was not against it. Despite his busy law business, he visited a doctor's clinic every day in South Africa, where he distributed medications, treated wounds, and provided whatever other assistance he could. During the Boer War, he even created an ambulance corps.

Health Advice/Better Health Practices

Gandhiji was a great believer in the tenet that a healthy mind maintains a healthy body, and he emphasised the need of a healthy lifestyle and optimistic outlook. He had high blood pressure and admitted that he had not been able to establish mental control as he should have. He believed that sickness was a consequence of sin, thus sinners should be prepared to pay the price. If a guy has overeaten and is suffering from indigestion, he should fast instead of taking medication, according to him. The fast will alleviate his indigestion while also teaching him not to overeat in the future.

Gandhiji convinced one of his South African friends to take quinine when he had malignant malaria at Sevagram, which surprised the South African since, like Gandhiji, he eschewed medications. Gandhiji, who got malaria, refused to take quinine. He attempted to cure himself with a three-day fast, but the fever lingered. Due to his age and deteriorating health, he was urged to take the prescribed medications. After only two doses of quinine, he was finally healed. Since Mahatma Gandhi had never used medications, his body responded rapidly to the little dosages of quinine. 

Alternative Treatments

Gandhiji was not opposed to allopaths, Vaidyas, or hakims, but he preferred naturopathic treatments. He often said that his interest was naturopathy. He claimed that if sickness resulted from violating nature's laws, then nature would be able to remedy the situation. He has been practising naturopathy for almost fifty years. In truth, what he practised might be described as mass medicine. He used common home remedies, hydrotherapy, earth treatment, fasting, and dietetics insofar as they could be attempted at home. However, he was also conscious of its limits and never engaged in potentially dangerous actions. Gandhiji considered that the perfect nature treatment institution would be a self-sufficient model village with a basic but efficient sanitation system, where the poorest of the poor might be housed. He desired an institution that would emphasise the need of preventative therapy, where patients would return home and educate their friends, family, and neighbours about the significance of healthcare and illness prevention.

Rasik, Gandhiji's 16-year-old grandson, died of malaria in 1929. He was receiving treatment from an allopathic physician. Gandhiji wrote, "It seems to me that the most effective treatments are based on natural curative techniques. Rasik may have perhaps been rescued if modest treatments had been administered."

However, Gandhiji did not show remorse for sending Rasik to Delhi or for the medical care his grandson got.

Reaching the Masses/Serving Humanity/Plugue Conundrum

During an epidemic of pneumonic plague (black plague) when Gandhiji was in Johannesburg, South Africa, his colleague Sjt Madanjit was so frightened by the disease's impact on people that he wrote a message to Gandhiji demanding his quick assistance. Gandhiji rode to the spot and wrote to the municipal clerk, requesting information about the situation. Gandhiji placed all the patients in an empty home with the aid of three associates and acted as both doctor and nurse. Even though they lacked the resources necessary to address a crisis of this size, they did all they could to assist. The municipal clerk was quite appreciative for this. The Council donated a disused warehouse for the patients, but the place was dirty and unsanitary. Gandhiji and his associates not only cleaned the premises but also solicited generous Indians for funds to purchase a few beds and other necessities. Rapidly, a makeshift temporary hospital was established. The local government sent a nurse who came with whiskey and medical supplies. The patients were instructed to get regular dosages of brandy. Gandhi had little trust in the curative properties of brandy, so with the approval of the attending physician, Dr. Godfrey, he subjected three patients who were willing to abstain from alcohol to the earth therapy, which included placing wet earth cloths to their heads and chests. These cases included two survivors. Twenty others perished in the godown. Gandhiji said that it was hard to determine how the two patients who accepted to the earth therapy were rescued, but this occurrence bolstered his belief in the earth treatment and his suspicion of brandy as a medication. Gandhiji remembered what a dreadful night it had been, during which they had to maintain watch and provide care to the sick. He said that he had cared for several patients in the past, but this was the first time he had worked with pneumonic plague sufferers.

Gandhiji and his colleagues decreased the patients' food during the epidemic. He believed that during epidemics it was essential to have a light diet. Gandhiji stopped eating at night as well. As he explained to the owner of the restaurant where he would dine that he would be caring for plague sufferers, he want to avoid contact with friends and acquaintances as much as possible. 

Healing Scorpion Bites

An individual who observed an event during one of Gandhiji's jail periods in South Africa reported Gandhiji's ability to heal those bitten by scorpions. A non-literate native servant was bitten by a scorpion and ran to Bapu in tears. Gandhiji immediately cleansed the man's hand with water, dried it, and then extracted the poison. Having eliminated the agony, the jail guard started to feel better once a significant amount of the poison was extracted. 

Holistic Health

Gandhiji was a fervent adherent to the tenet that a healthy mind maintains a healthy body. He often said that he had high blood pressure because he was unable to regulate his thoughts as much as he would have wanted. He advised that if a man suffers from indigestion as a consequence of overeating, he should fast rather than take carminative combinations, since fasting would not only alleviate him but also act as a warning not to overeat in the future.

Even when taking medications, Gandhiji considered the people. The commercialization of medicine sometimes concerned him, since he thought that the provision of healthcare should take precedence above money. Because herbal remedies were accessible to the lowest of the poor, he determined that he would not take any copyrighted medications and would instead rely on them as much as possible. He felt that the purpose of medicine should be to relieve pain and suffering, not to generate profits.

Gandhiji was impartial about all medical systems. He believed that there must be one system of medicine capable of curing all illnesses and afflictions. While he never specified how much allopathy, naturopathy, ayurveda, or unani would contribute to such a medical system, he was a firm believer in the efficacy of preventative care and treatment that was compassionate in its approach and available to all, regardless of socioeconomic status.

Working in the Villages

Gandhiji discovered when travelling to Shantiniketan that the villages were filthy, the pathways were filled with waste, the wells were surrounded by muck, and the courtyards were untidy. He believed that the locals had a great deal to learn about hygiene. Gandhiji also discovered that a number of inhabitants suffered from a variety of skin disorders. Therefore, he volunteered to clean up the villages as much as possible. He asked the Servants of India Society to provide Dr. Dev's services. Whenever feasible, he assigned one man and one woman to oversee each school. These volunteers were in charge of medical assistance and sanitation. The volunteer ladies worked closely with the local women.

The medical aid provided to the populace was really straightforward. Volunteers were given with just castor oil, quinine, and sulphur ointment. If the patient had a furred tongue or complained of constipation, castor oil was provided; in the event of fever, quinine was supplied after a dosage of castor oil; and sulphur ointment was used on boils and itches, but only after cleaning the afflicted areas well. No patient was allowed to take any medication home. Whenever there were queries or issues, Dr. Dev was contacted. Dr. Dev and his staff were able to successfully administer this uncomplicated treatment regimen since the patients did not suffer from any complex illnesses, therefore they were receptive to it. 

However, sanitation management was not straightforward. People were unwilling to take action themselves. However, Dr. Dev was not one to give up quickly. Together with the volunteers, he swept the roads and courtyards, emptied the wells, filled the pools, and persuaded the people to offer their assistance. Gandhiji used a similar strategy at Champaran.

Gandhiji famously observed that the economic and logistical essence of India is in our villages.

On Health, Hygiene and Sanitation

Gandhiji advised people to never blow their noses or spit in public settings. Gandhiji created the Phoenix Settlement near Durban while in South Africa. It was the first experimental ashram built by Gandhiji. Here, he established a press for Indians to voice their thoughts and produced Indian Opinion, a weekly newspaper with articles on many issues such as politics, cuisine, health, and essential hygienic practises.

On Fasting

He said, "With apologies to medical friends, but based on my own experiences and those of fellow cranks, I say unequivocally, fast if you are: (1) constipated; (2) anaemic; (3) feverish; (4) indigestion; (5) rheumatoid; (6) gouty; (7) depressed; (8) fretting and fuming; (9) depressed; or (10) overjoyed, and you will avoid medical prescription and patented

Simple Answers to Complex Issues

In 1944, he wrote to a colleague who was dealing with an outbreak in a hamlet, "You will soon get a large quantity of ineffective medications." Renew people's understanding of natural cures. Local pharmaceuticals should be made accessible. If you add jaggery to the rice water, it will deliver extra energy. Teach individuals proper hygiene practises. If patients with fever or diarrhoea are placed on a diet of boiling water and denied food, more than fifty percent will recover. He assured his buddy that although he may get recommendations from others, he had proposed the most straightforward solutions.

Nature Cure Centre

Gandhiji addressed a letter to a friend who was considering establishing a nature treatment clinic. He suggested that the treatment and experimentation rooms should be encircled by huts that may serve as housing for patients and children receiving treatment there. He said that the sanitorium should cultivate fruits, flowers, food grains, and vegetables, as well as have cattle barns and vehicle-capable roadways. In addition, he recommended installing a gymnasium, a swimming pool, and other amenities. Gandhiji advised avoiding treatments using electricity, including hot and cold water and steam regimes. In 1946, he spent nine days in a community establishing a centre for natural healing.

Nature Cure and Modern Treatment

Gandhi thought that his nature-based treatment was intended just for people and villages. Consequently, there is no room for the microscope, X-rays, and similar items. Neither is there a place in nature for drugs such as quinine, emetine, or penicillin to be cured. Personal cleanliness and a healthy lifestyle are of paramount significance. And they should be adequate. If everyone could master this technique to perfection, there would be no sickness. And, despite adhering to all the rules of nature in order to heal sickness, Ramanama is always the ultimate treatment. However, this Ramanama remedy cannot become ubiquitous in the blink of an eye. To convey conviction to the patient, the physician must be a live manifestation of Ramanama's power. In the meanwhile, everything that can be obtained from Nature's five agencies must be used. They consist of earth, water, ether, fire, and air.

1. Gandhi M. Manorama-Tell Me Why, No.131:98 2. Gandhi MK. The Story of My Experiments with Truth: An autobiography 1927 Ahmedabad Navajivan Publishing House 3. Guha R. Gandhi-the Year that Changed the World (1914-1948), Penguin 2018 4. Lindley M. Gandhi on Health, Gandhi Research Foundation 2018 5. 1949 Bombay Incidents of Gandhiji's Life, Edited by Chandra Shanker Shukla, Vora & Co. Publishers, Ltd 6. Nayyar S. Medicine for the Masses. In Gandhi: His Life and work, published on his 75th birthday 1944