27/04/2017
From Bhishak to Doctor – Evolution of a Physician’s Title
Times change. Businesses and professions get outdated. But one profession that will never be out of service is the practice of medicine. We will always need the advice of a Physician or a Doctor during an illness. Because, a Physician is an expert in medicine who earns the title of a “Doctor” after years of medical study and internship. Then only can he add the title of “Doctor” before his name and treat patients. But since when this title of Doctor came into existence? Let us have a look.
The most ancient books that exist today are believed to be the Vedas whose date of origin is 1500 – c. 500 BCE (it might be even much older than that). All the subjects of science and arts have their original source in the Vedas including the science of medicine. Vedic Gods like Rudra, Agni, Varuna, Indra, Maruta and various other Gods were designated as Divine Physicians. Rudra was described as the "first Divine Physician" and also the “best Physician of Physicians”. The most famous Physicians at that time were the Ashwini Kumar twins who were described as the “Physicians of the Gods”. The term that was used to address the Physicians at that time was “Bhishak”. This was perhaps the first ever word used to address a Doctor.
Now let us examine the meaning of the word “Bhishak”. The definition of the word “Bhishak” is available in IVth Kanda of Krishna Yajurveda.
Yadosha dayah sangachchante – rajanassamita viva
viprassa uchyate bhishak rakshoha miva chaatanah ||
Its meaning is: The king seeks the cooperation of the other kings in the battle field, to fight with the enemy. Such kings indulged in warfare exhibit mutual friendship and brotherhood. Similarly, the wise-man who commands the obedience of medicines to combat illness, just as a king commands collective obedience of his warriors in the battle field is called “Bhishak”. The meaning of this word is “Conquerer of diseases”.
With due passage of time, the term “Bhishak” was replaced with another term for a physician – Vaidya. It means “One who knows”. This term was widely described in “Ayurveda” – the ancient science of healing. Ayurveda means the knowledge of life. And Vaidya or the Ayurvedic Physician is therefore, the one who possesses the knowledge of how life manifests, is maintained and perishes.
Gradually another term was simultaneously used for a physician – Kaviraj. It means “Prince of verses”, referring to his mastering of Sanskrit verses. Ayurveda texts were written in Sanskrit verses and an Ayurvedic Physician had to remember them and recollect them at the time of need. Kaviraj also meant “best among the wise”. It may be noted that Knower of Veda or Ayurveda was referred to as a wise person.
There is another description regarding the origin of the name “Kaviraj”. As we know Kaviraj means a master poet who creates a poem that he has visualized through his imagination. Similarly the Vaidya also visualises the illness in the body of the patient through his clinical methods. But the difference is that while the visualisation of the poet is unreal or fictitious, the visualisation of the Vaidya is real. Hence he is also called as “Kaviraj” for his superior visual abilities.
In the 16th century another word “Hakim” came into existence to address a Doctor in the Muslim culture. It meant a Muslim Physician who practices traditional medicine (Unani medicine). It originated from an Arabic word - ḥakīm which meant a wise man.
In the modern age especially in Europe the Doctors were called as “Physicians”. "Physician" means "naturalist", from the Latin (physica) and the Greek (physikē; physikos) word for nature. Many medicines were, of course, derived from natural substances, and in early language "physic" referred to medicines. So a Physician was simply someone who practiced physikē - a natural science of healing.
The word Physician also has its roots in the old French word “fisiciien” meaning "Physician, Doctor, Sage". It is derived from the French word “fisique” meaning art of healing.
Currently throughout the world the Physicians are called as “Doctors”. The term “Doctor” means teacher, and has come from the Latin docēre, meaning to teach. It came to refer to people who had achieved great learning such as PhD. PhD is the abbreviation of Philosophiae Doctor, which is the Latin for “Doctor of Philosophy.” These degrees are the highest that are awarded by universities and originally in the 1300s the title was given because once a candidate had achieved this level, he was qualified to teach.
Later, in the 16th century, Doctor gained a specific medical connotation. The medical hierarchy of practitioners was Physician, Surgeon and Apothecary, and each had defined functions. Physicians, who had gone to university, were the real “Doctors”, and Surgeons and Apothecaries, who trained by apprenticeships, were “Mister”.
Similar usage of the equivalent of Doctor is colloquial in most European languages: Italian dottore, French docteur, German doktor, Lithuanian daktaras, though these are typically not the main word in those languages for a medical healer.
But the verb “to doctor” is also very old, and has meanings outside medicine too: to change something, whether in a human body or an inanimate object. This “doctoring” verb made it easy to call medical practitioners “Doctors”. The verb “to doctor” must have originated with a sense that a doctor changes things for the better.
Who knows, in future the term “Doctor” might be replaced with another term to suit modern environment and lifestyle? But one thing is sure – the physician will continue to serve the humanity by saving lives of people. And there is no other gift greater than the gift of life. (Charak Samhita, Ayurvedic text).
References:
1. http://serveveda.org/documents/Sri%20K.%20Viswanatha%20Sharma.pdf
2. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=doctor
3. http://blog.oup.com/2008/11/doctor/
4. http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/222567/what-is-the-etymology-of-physician
5. https://www.med.uottawa.ca/sim/data/Physician_e.htm
6. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=physician
7. http://www.historyextra.com/qa/doctor-doctor
