8 History of Medix Cine in The Islamic Civilization

History of Medicine in the
Islamic Civilization
ANTONIO T. PARONG JR. MD.,MHA.
PLTCI COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
PHILIPPINES
History of Medicine
in the Islamic Civilization
 Early Arabic (Islamic) medicine was built on the legacies left behind by Greek and
Roman physicians, and was strongly influenced by Galen and Hippocrates.
 In the 7th century, Arab and Persian scholars began translating medical texts from
Greek, Syriac, Sanskrit and Pahlavi into Arabic, and from Arabic into Latin, thus saving
those texts from disappearing entirely.
 During the 8th century in Baghdad, Islamic scholars and doctors translated the works of
the Roman doctor Galen, as well as Persian and Indian medical texts.
 Most medical literature from both Greece and Rome was translated into Arabic, and later
adapted to include their own findings and conclusions .
 Medicine was a central part of medieval Islamic culture. This period was called the
Golden Age of Islam and lasted from the 8th century to the 15th century.
 Islamic medicine, along with knowledge of classical medicine, was later adopted
in the medieval medicine of Western Europe, after European physicians became
familiar with Islamic medical authors during the Renaissance of the 12th century.
 Medieval Islamic physicians largely retained their authority until the rise of medicine
as a part of the natural sciences, beginning with the Age of Enlightenment, nearly six
hundred years after their textbooks were opened by many people. Aspects of their
writings remain of interest to physicians even today.
 Central to Islamic medicine was belief in the Qur'an and Hadiths, which stated that
Muslims had a duty to care for the sick and this was often referred to as "Medicine of
the Prophet."
 According to the sayings of the Prophet Muhammed, he believed that Allah
had sent a cure for every ailment and that it was the duty of Muslims to take
care of the body and spirit. This certainly falls under the remit of improving the
quality of healthcare and ensuring that there is access for all, with many of the
Hadiths laying down guidelines for a holistic approach to health.
 Sahabi al-Harith bin Kaladah (ra); many historians call him 'Tabibul Arab' or
'doctor of Arabia’.
 His full name is Abu Wail al-Harith bin Kaladah bin Amr bin Alaz as- Saqafi.
By determining the nature of the disease, he found the way of treatment. He
was the first Physician in Islam.
 Intellectual thirst, open-mindedness, and vigor were at an all time high in this era.
During the Golden Age of Islam, classical learning was sought out, systematized and
improved upon by scientists and scholars with such diligence that Arab science
became the most advanced of its day.
 Ophthalmology has been described as the most successful branch of medicine
researched at the time, with the works of Ibn al-Haytham remaining an authority
in the field until early modern times.
 The use of the humoral theory is also a large part of medicine in this period, shaping
the diagnosis and treatments for patients.
 This kind of medicine was largely holistic, focused on schedule, environment, and
diet.
 Medicine in the medieval Islamic world was often directly related to horticulture.
Fruits and vegetables were related to health and well being, although they were seen
as having different properties than what modern medicine says now.
 In the history of science, Arabic medicine, Islamic medicine, Arab–Islamic
medicine, Greco-Arab medicine, or Greco-Arab and Islamic medicine are terms
that refer to medicine developed during the Golden Age of Muslim civilization.
 Arab and Muslim scholars translated and integrated scientific knowledge of other
civilizations into their own innovations.
 As a result, medicine was very individualistic as every person who sought
medical help would receive different advice dependent not only on their
ailment, but also according to their lifestyle.
 There was still some connection between treatments however, as

medicine was largely based on humoral theory which meant that each
person needed to be treated according to whether or not their humors
were hot, cold, melancholic, or choleric.
.
 The authority of the great physicians and scientists of the Islamic Golden age has
influenced the art and science of medicine for many centuries. Their concepts
and ideas about medical ethics are still discussed today, especially in the
Islamic parts of our world.
 Their ideas about the conduct of physicians, and the doctor–patient
relationship are discussed as potential role models for physicians of
today.
 The major contribution of the Islamic Age to the history of medicine was the
establishment of hospitals, paid for by the charitable donations known as Zakat
tax.
 There is evidence that these hospitals were in existence by the 8th
Century and they were soon widespread across the Islamic world.
 Many Islamic physicians made outstanding discoveries in all aspects of medicine
during the Islamic Golden Age, building upon the knowledge of Galen and the
Greek and adding their own discoveries.
 The most notable Islamic scholar in the history of medicine was al-Razi -
The Father of Islamic Medicine.
 Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi (Latinized: Rhazes) (born 865)Al-Razi,

 known to the Europeans as Rhazes (may be spelt Rhazes, Rasis, Rasi or
ar-Razi) (850 - 923), was at the forefront of Islamic research into
medicine.
 Rhazes was also famous for his work on refining the scientific method
and promoting experimentation and observation.
.
 Al Razi wrote extensively on the crucial relationship between doctor and patient,
believing that they should develop a relationship built upon trust and, as the doctor
had a duty to help the patient, the patient had the duty to follow the doctor's advice
 His other great achievement was in understanding the nature of illness, which had
previously been described by the symptoms, but Rhazes made the great leap of
looking for what was causing the symptoms.
 In the case of smallpox and measles, he blamed the blood and, as he could
not have known anything about microbes, this was a logical statement.
 Al Razi wrote extensively about human physiology and understood how the brain
and nervous system operated muscles, and only the Islamic distaste for dissection
prevented him from refining his studies in this area.
 Ibn Sina, more commonly known in west as Avicenna was a Persian polymath and
physician of the tenth and eleventh centuries. He was known for his scientific works,
but especially his writing on medicine. He has been described as the "Father of
Early Modern Medicine".
 Although Avicenna made advances in pharmacology and in clinical practice, his
greatest contribution was probably in the philosophy of medicine.
 He created a system of medicine that today we would call “holistic” and in which
physical and psychological factors, drugs, and diet were combined in treating
patients.
Islam contribution to medicine
 Hospitals and Doctor Training
 These early Islamic medical centers would be recognizable as hospitals today: they
had wards for different diseases, outpatient clinics, surgery recovery wards and
pharmacies. They also functioned as medical education centers for doctor training.
 The development of Pharmacy.

 They set up the first hospitals with permanent pharmacy and hospital apothecary
 Techniques they developed—such as distillation, crystallization, and the use of
alcohol as an antiseptic—are still used.
 Arab physicians and scholars also laid the basis for medical practice in Europe.
 In the 10th century, Ammar ibn Ali al-Mawsili invented a hollow syringe that he used
to remove cataracts by suction.
 Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi was an eminent surgeon who lived and worked in Andalusia,
Spain. He invented a number of instruments, including forceps, pincers, lancets, and
specula.
 Blood Circulation and Anatomy
 Pulmonary circulation had already been described by the Arabic doctor Ibn Al-
Nafis’ While his knowledge was incomplete, Al-Nafis knew that the heart had two
halves and that blood passed through the lungs when traveling from one side of
the heart to the other. He also realized that the heart is nourished by capillaries.
 Infectious Diseases
 Islamic medicine recognized that some diseases were infectious, including leprosy,
smallpox and sexually transmitted diseases. To these, the great Islamic doctor
Avicenna added tuberculosis and described how contagious diseases spread and
necessary methods of quarantine.
 Surgery and Surgical Instruments

 The 10th century Arabic doctor Al Zahrawi established the basis of surgery and
invented over 200 surgical instruments, many of which are still used today,
including forceps, scalpel, surgical needle and retractor, specula and catgut
sutures.

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History of Medicine in the

 There was still some connection between treatments however, as

 Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi (Latinized: Rhazes) (born 865)Al-Razi,

 The development of Pharmacy.

 Surgery and Surgical Instruments

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