Islamic Medicine in the Middle Ages: Influences, Scholars, and Anatomical Studies
In the medieval period, Islamic medicine played a crucial role in advancing medical knowledge and practices, making significant contributions that continue to influence modern medicine.
One of the most notable achievements was the establishment of hospitals and medical schools, which served as centres for medical education and practice. These institutions allowed for more complex medical procedures and the development of new treatments. Scholars like Al-Zahrawi and Ibn Sina made groundbreaking contributions to surgery and pharmacology, with Al-Zahrawi's *al-Tasrif* providing detailed descriptions of surgical tools and procedures, and Ibn Sina's *The Canon of Medicine* becoming a foundational text in pharmacology and disease treatment.
Al-Razi, a Persian physician, challenged traditional Greek medical theories by pioneering the identification of diseases such as smallpox and measles. His emphasis on empirical evidence and observation laid the groundwork for modern medical methodologies. Muslim physicians also developed quarantine practices, which were novel at the time and helped control the spread of diseases.
The works of Ibn Sina and Al-Razi were widely adopted in European universities, influencing medical practices and education for centuries. Islamic medicine integrated knowledge from various cultures, enriching and expanding medical understanding. It built upon the legacies of Greek and Roman physicians and scholars, including Galen and Hippocrates.
Islamic doctors and scholars wrote extensively, developing complex literature on medication, clinical practice, diseases, cures, treatments, and diagnoses. They expertly gathered data and ordered it so that people could easily understand and reference information through various texts. Some female doctors were not uncommon in medieval Islamic medical practice, with others providing medical care without formal training.
Cannabis and opium were prescribed by doctors for therapeutic purposes, but there is evidence that some people died of overdoses when using certain medications to cure forgetfulness. Oregano was used for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, while juniper or pine needles were used in a bath to relieve allergic skin problems. Cinnamon was used for wounds, tumours, and ulcers, and garlic was used in many treatments, particularly for urinary problems.
Ibn al-Nafis, a physician born in Damascus in 1213, is attributed to the first description of pulmonary blood circulation. Hasan ibn al-Haytham, an Iraqi Muslim scientist who lived from 965 C.E. to around 1040 C.E., provided a detailed description of the eye's anatomy and developed theories about the formation of images.
Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi, an Iraqi physician, historian, Egyptologist, and traveler, concluded that the lower jaw, or mandible, consists of just one bone after observing the remains of over 2,000 people who had starved to death in Egypt. Ahmad ibn Abi al-Ash'ath, an Iraqi physician, described the contraction and dilation of a full stomach after experimenting on live lions.
Ibn Sina, also known as Avicenna, was a Persian polymath who wrote approximately 450 books and articles, 240 of which still exist today, with 40 focusing on medicine. Among his significant contributions to medieval medicine were "The Book of Healing" and "The Canon of Medicine." Al-Razi, a Persian physician, chemist, alchemist, philosopher, and scholar, lived from 865 to 925 C.E. and made significant contributions to medicine, including the first distinction between measles and smallpox, the discovery of kerosene, and the pioneering of ophthalmology.
Western doctors first learned of Greek medicine, including the works of Hippocrates and Galen, by reading Arabic translations. This exchange of knowledge played a pivotal role in the advancement of Western medicine during the medieval period. The legacy of Islamic medicine continues to be felt today, with its foundational texts and practices forming the basis for many later medical advancements, contributing significantly to the evolution of modern medicine.
Aqabe, a contemporary scholar, looks to the predictive power of depression research in the health-and-wellness field, using knowledge accrued from Islamic medicine's rich history to better understand and combat depression. This science-based exploration of mental health issues is rooted in Al-Razi's groundbreaking identification of diseases, emphasizing empirical evidence and observation, and extends to Ibn Sina's comprehensive works, bridging the gaps between ancient and modern medicine.
