‘Secret’ Diseases across Mongolic Communities in the Early 20th Century: Traditional Representations and Treatment Methods
https://doi.org/10.22162/2500-1523-2023-446-457
Abstract
Introduction. The article examines some traditional ideas of venereal diseases traced in Mongolic cultures, reasons once believed to lie behind them, and treatment methods prescribed by folk and Tibetan medicine. Goals. The study attempts an analysis of medicinal knowledge and experiences used by Buryats and Mongolians to cure venereal diseases in the early twentieth century. Materials and methods. The work employs the comparative method and that of historical-comparative analysis. It focuses on archival collections of S. Baldaev, I. Manzhigeev, works of M. Khangalov and Ts. Jamtsarano for insights into shamanistic views and ideas pertaining to venereal diseases. The corpus of examined works on Tibetan medicine has been compiled from traditional Tibetan and Buryat-Mongolian guides to medicinal drugs and herbs — zhors. Results. The paper shows that despite mythological interpretations of venereal diseases as such did prevail, the Mongolic peoples were distinguished by a completely rational understanding of syndromes and course patterns characteristic of certain venereal diseases.
Keywords
venereal diseases,
folk knowledge,
alya basagad,
huiteni burhashuul,
Tibetan medicine,
catalyst poisoning
Supporting agencies: The reported study was funded by Russian Science Foundation, project no. 19-18-00031 ‘Soft Power of Soviet Medicine: Transfer of Knowledge, Technologies, and Ideologies in International Relations of the RSFSR/USSR People’s Commissariat for Health (1921–1947)’.
About the Author
Surzhana B. Miyagasheva
Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies of the Siberian Branch of the RAS (6, Sakhyanova St., 670047 Ulan-Ude, Russian Federation)
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Cand. Sc. (History), Research Associate
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Review
For citations:
Miyagasheva S.B. ‘Secret’ Diseases across Mongolic Communities in the Early 20th Century: Traditional Representations and Treatment Methods. Mongolian Studies. 2023;15(3):446-457. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22162/2500-1523-2023-446-457
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