L4: Islamic Medicine

Question 1

Who is Hunayn ibn Ishaq (aka Johannitius)? What are his contributions to healing / medicine?

Answer 1

• known as Johannitius in West, lived in 9th century - Arab Christian, theologian and physician - Served Caliph - Was in charge of Bayt al Hikma - Responsible for translating rare Greek medical texts into Arabic and Syriac - Wrote original works on anatomy, physiology and diseases of eye, including Liber Ysagogarum, which is incorporated into the Articella

Question 2

Explains the origins/roots/traditions of Islamic Medicine.

Answer 2

• Islamic medicine, like other regions, had it roots in folk medicine that had beliefs in animism (everything has spirit), amulets, charms, incantations, etc. - Health / illness was attributed to spirits, ie. jinn and evil eye - Many practices from Egypt, Byzantium, Europe and India, such as bloodletting, cupping, cautery and leeching were practiced. - Complex pharmacopeia was developed for use during this time - Region faced similar sanitary proplems, nutritional issues and diseases seen in Europe - Central tenet to Islam is that of human well-being; duty is to take care of body and spirit - Prophet Muhammad provided guidelines for achieving/maintaining health, eg. Washing, cleanliness, sensible eating, proper hygiene etc. - In the 7th/8th centuries, Islam was formalized, traditional healing practices were eliminated, eg. Animism, Jinn etc. - Idea of “learned medicine” arose in 9th century through translation of Greek medical texts and establishment of Bayt al-Hikma under Johannitius - Thought by Islamic traditionalist that medicine is foreign to Islam (Devil is physician etc.) - Madrasas (schools where religious learning took place) developed medical curricula - Galenistic / Hippocratic medicine was practiced under scientists/physicians: Johannitius, Rhazes, Avicenna and Maimonides

Question 3

Who is Moshe ben Maimom (Maimonides)? What are his contributions to healing / medicine?

Answer 3

• known as Maimonides in the West, he lived in the 12th and early 13th centuries. - He was Jewish - Studied in Fez (Fas), Morrocco and emigrated to Egypt. - Was a Rabbi of community in Cairo, practiced medicine to support his family - Polymath: philosopher, writer, astronomer - Leader in Islamic medicine (Galenist), served Saladin - Described asthma, diabetes, hepatitis, pneumonia in many texts. Emphasized moderation in diet, exercise. - Translated Avicenna’s Qanun into Hebrew

Question 4

Discuss/describe Islamic center hospitals.

Answer 4

• First true hospital was established in Baghdad in ~ 805 CE - Known as bimaristan: place for sick people. - Possibly inspired by early Christian “hospitals” at monasteries, but were more elaborate - Often had medical schools on site - Had water supplies - Separated male-female wards with same-gender nurses - Inpatient and outpatient areas - Wards for different complaints - Had pharmacies, mosques, libraries and lectures halls - Were models for later European hospitals - Many Islamic cities had at least one hospital, some had many

Question 5

What is the Kitab al-Qanun?

Answer 5

• It is a medical text written by Avicenna in the early 11th century. It is a compilation of Hippocrates, Galen and other revered medical scholars. This became the authority on medicine and is still in use. Book discusses contagion and sexually transmitted diseases, proposes microorganisms, standard for drug evaluation.

Question 6

What is the Bayt al-Hikma?

Answer 6

• Referred to as the House of Wisdom, is an early university where medical teachings occurred during 9th century.

Question 7

What is the Liber Ysagogarum?

Answer 7

• Medical text written by Johannitius that is part of the Articella and was used in European medieval medical practice.

Question 8

What are the contributions of Islamic medicine.

Answer 8

• preserved Greek and Roman medicine and therapeutics - translated many Greek and Roman medical writings - contributed to original scholarship into disease and symtomatology - hospitals (first true hospitals)

Question 9

Who is Abu Ali al-Husayn ibn ‘Abdallah ibn Sina (Avicenna)? What are his contributions to healing / medicine?

Answer 9

• known as Avicenna in West, lived in late 10th and early 11th centuries - One of the most revered natural philosophers / scientists to this day - Known as the Islamic Galen - Polymath: Islamic law, geometry, anatomy, logic, philosophy - Completed his medical studies by age 18, possibly self-taught (?) - Wrote many medical texts - Was PM and physician to Prince - Wrote entire medical text known as Kitab al-Qanun, which is a compilation of Hippocrates, Galen and other revered medical scholars. This became the authority on medicine and is still in use. Book discusses contagion and sexually transmitted diseases, proposes microorganisms, standard for drug evaluation.

Question 10

Who is Muhammad ibn Zakariya ya-Razi (Rhazes)? What are his contributions to healing / medicine?

Answer 10

• Known as Rhazes in West, he was a Persian who served as chief physician of the first great hospital in Baghdad during the early 10th century. - He is a highly respected physician, often hailed as greatest practitioner of Islamic world - Hippocratic practitioner - Differentiated different kinds of “fevers” - Described differences between measles and smallpox - Wrote the Al-Mansuri, a medical text influential into the 16th century