Sidha:
The Siddha system is ancient system of medicine in India. The Siddha system medicine is founded by eighteen Siddhers namely Agasthiyar, Thirumoolar, Bogar, Pathanjali, Pulipani etc., the eighteen Siddhers had contributed towards the systematic development and recorded in Tamil language.
The Siddha system of Medicine emphasizes on the patient, environment, age, sex, race, habits, mental frame work, habitat, diet, appetite, physical condition, physiological constitution of the diseases for its treatment which is individualistic in nature diagnosis of diseases are done through examination of tongue, colour of body, speech (voice), eye, touch, stool, urine, naadi (pulse) and status of the digestion of individual patients. System has unique treasure for the conversion of metals and minerals as drugs and many infective diseases are treated with the medicines containing specially processed mercury, silver, arsenic, lead and sulphur without any side effects. The strength of the Siddha system lies in providing very effective therapy in the case of Psoriasis, Rheumatic disorders, Chronic liver disorders, Benign prostate hypertrophy, bleeding piles, peptic ulcer including various kinds of Dermatological disorders of non-psoriatic nature. Vermum is the special treatment in Siddha system to treat Vatha diseases applying oil and doing massage therapy to cure the diseases. Yoga is the special treatment found by Pathanjali Muni, who is one of the eighteen Siddhers found Siddha system medicine explained in details of all posture and it is very effective in keeping the body young and energetic.
During the last six decades, there has been continuous development in Siddhant medical education and this has led to the establishment of the National Institute of Siddha at Chennai as apex Institute having eight specialities in post-graduate teaching leading to the award of M.D(S) Degree. These are Maruthuvam (General Medicine), Pura Maruthuvam, Vasma Maruthuvam, Siddha, Yoga Maruthuvam, Kuzhanthai Maruthuvam (Paediatrics), Gunapadam (Pharmacology), Noi Nadal (Pathology) and Nanju Nool Maruthuva Neethinool (Toxicology).
