Research Article


Health Indicators from Sa'di's Point of View in Golestan

Malihe Abedini, Maryam Mohseni Seifabadi

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-14
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.42214

Background and Aim: Acquainting with Iranian sages’ and thinkers’ opinions by correct reading their works, can not only be effective in improving our insight, deep thinking and personal identity acceptance as Iranian Muslims, but also it is very helpful in formulating and designing policies and macro-planning in accordance with our local, national and religious characteristics in various fields. Since achieving and promoting the health of man and society is one of the most important human goals throughout history, this article seeks to examine the approach of one of the greatest Iranian sages, Sheikh Ajl Saadi, regarding the mental and physical health, as well as the importance and connection between them.

Methods: This research has been written by collecting data in a document-library method based on Saadi's Golestan.

Ethical Consideration: During this research process, while referring to the mentioned context, not only has it been tried that the principle of fidelity and loyalty as well as originality of resources to be taken in account, but it also has been tried to avoid bias in referring to the texts or analyzes.

Results: The present article has extracted narratives related to mental and physical health in Saadi's Golestan after the definition of health and has found 31 anecdotes related to this topic. In the area of physical health, these stories are related to the two issues of overeating and maintaining the moderation of human nature and in the area of mental health, to the two issues of mental health (worship, self-respect, trust, avoiding sin and thinking about God's blessings, consultation, gratitude for blessings and the afterlife) and the mental health of others (respecting others, generosity, benevolence, good-naturedness, forgiveness, prudence, modesty and covering up faults).

Conclusion: This research not only shows the link between physical and mental health from Saadi's point of view; rather, on the one hand, he believes in the superiority of mental health over physical health and on the other hand, he believes that improvement of the individual's mental health depends on the mental health of the society.

Background and Aim: Indian laburnum (Cassia Fistula) is a noteworthy medicinal plant in Iran and the other Islamic world territories. Scholars of the Islamic period called it khīyār(-i) shanbar/ khīyār(-i) chanbar and called its fruit fulūs. They have pointed out its morphology and medicinal properties. In contemporary traditional medicine, various medicinal properties of different parts of this plant especially its leaf and fruit, have been noted. In these days, C. Fistula is known as fulūs and khīyār(-i) chanbar belongs to another specie and genus with the scientific name of Cucumis melo var. flexuosus (snake/serpent cucumber).

Methods: In this research, medicinal properties of this plant have been assessed using 15 medicinal and plant-pharmacological sources of Islamic period in the east and the west of the Islamic world from 3th to 12th century AH. For Abdāl, in addition to these sources, Kitāb Al-Abdāl and Kitāb Al-Ṣaydanah fi l-ṭṭib, also have been researched.

Ethical Considerations: In this research, honesty and trust worthiness have been fully observed in using historical sources and catalogs.

Findings: Scientists of the Islamic period have considered medicinal properties for different parts of khīyār(-i) shanbar including its root, leaf and fulūs. Some sources have newer contents than the previous ones, and in some others, the content is completely duplicated. Also, this case is in Abdāl of this plant.

Conclusion: Within the sources used for this research, Persian ones have mentioned various properties compared to Arabic sources. In most of these sources the names of scientists whose books were used, have not been mentioned. Properties that are mentioned in Al-Eʿtimād fi l- Adwīya l- Mufradat from Ibn Al-Jazzār and in translation and writing of Kitāb al-Ṣaydanat fi l-ṭṭib by Kāsānī are completely similar to the previous sources. Kitāb Tadhkirat ulil-albāb wa l-jāmiʿ li’l-ʿajāb al-ʿojāb from Anṭākī have new contents regarding the properties of this plant, compared to the other Arabic sources that have been researched in this article. In the Persian sources, Kitāb al-abnīya ʿan ḥaqāyiq al-adwīat and Makhzan al-adwīyat have more information about Abdāl compared to their previous sources.

Review and Prioritization of Materia Medica Recommended in the Treatment of Head Lice in Selected Sources of Iranian Traditional Medicine

Zahra Bahaeddin, Akram Dinari, Mohsen Naseri, Sedighe Talebi, Farzaneh Ghaffari, Fatemeh Emadi, Maryam Iranzad Asl, Fatemeh Alijaniha, Razieh Jafari Hajati, Zahra Karimi, Zahra Aghabeiglooei

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-18
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.45632

Background and Aim: Head lice is known as one of the health problems worldwide. The increasing resistance of this parasite to common treatments and the need for effective and safe treatment methods have greatly increased the importance of searching for natural and herbal treatments. This study aims to review and introduce effective and available materia medica in Iranian traditional medicine sources for head lice treatment.

Methods: This study is an original research based on reliable texts of Persian medicine. In this research, the materia medica mentioned in the treatment of head lice in the second volume of Ibn Sina's Book "Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb" was collected. Subsequently, the perspectives of scholars in selected books of traditional pharmacology have been incorporated into the existing tables and information. The steps of conducting research include: determining keywords related to the title, searching in texts, preparing a single list, finding synonyms and scientific names, reviewing, extracting nouns from compounds, summarizing, scoring, prioritizing and drawing a diagram.

Ethical Considerations: In the present study, the ethical aspects of the library-based research, including the authenticity of the texts, honesty and integrity, have been duly observed.

Results: In the present study, 47 materia medica were investigated and introduced for the treatment of head lice, of which 70% are of herbal origin, 18% mineral and 12% animal-based. Considering the defined criteria, beetroot (9 points) achieved the highest score in terms of anti-lice effectiveness. The single drugs, honey, mercury and wood tar, scored 8 points, followed by peppermint and lentil bran with 6 points each. The most common mode of application for these materia medica is washing the hair, accounting for 44%.

Conclusion: The list of drugs collected in this study can be considered as a basis in further basic and clinical studies to design and produce effective herbal drugs in treating head lice.

Background and Aim: The migration of Iranian labor to the South Caucasus experienced a growing trend during the last years of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, with hundreds of thousands of Iranians travelling to these areas every year in search of work. Many of these immigrants were employed in factories, mines, oil industries, wharves and agricultural lands in Baku, Ganja, Tbilisi, Erevan and Batum. Some were engaged in peddling, construction, etc. and lived in the workplace or on the outskirts of cities. The aspects of health and safety in these two locations significantly influenced the lives of these workers.

Methods: This article employs an approach of "history from below" and relies on library and archival sources to investigate the conditions in which the Iranian immigrant workers lived in terms of their health status and the effects it had on their physical health.

Ethical Considerations: In this research, honesty and trustworthiness have been observed in the use of historical sources.

Results: The social life experienced by Iranian workers in the Caucasus was accompanied by a high rate of physical injuries and even deaths compared with workers of other nationalities. Consequently, some of them lost their lives and some suffered from diseases such as cholera, plague, malaria, shortness of breath, or physical disabilities.

Conclusion: Iranian emigrant workers in the Caucasus undertook the most difficult jobs due to lack of material capital, production tools, knowledge and skills as well as living in huts and sheds or workplaces. These two places were dangerous and inappropriate in terms of health and hygiene, leading to a high incidence of physical injuries and even fatalities among Iranian workers.

Herbal Treatments for Eczema with an Approach to the Second Book of Ibn Sina's Qanoon

Hanie Esmaeli, Shirin Fahimi, Maryam Jahandideh, Shadi Sarahrood, Solmaz Ghaffari

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-12
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.46264

Background and Aim: Eczema, or dermatitis, is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory skin disorder characterized by itching, skin dryness and the appearance of red, weeping skin lesions. In traditional Persian medicine, various plants have been used both orally and topically for the treatment of eczema, known as "Nar ol-Farsi." This study reviews the plants effective for eczema as referenced in Ibn Sina's “Qanoon”, the most important source of traditional Persian medicine.

Methods: To identify plants effective for eczema, the second book of "Qanoon" was reviewed using the keyword "Nar ol-Farsi." After extracting the traditional names of the plants, their scientific names were identified with the help of reference books in botany. Extensive research was then conducted in modern scientific databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus and PubMed until January 2024 to investigate the anti-eczema, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects of these plants in recent studies.

Ethical Considerations: In the present study, the ethical aspects of the library-based research, including the authenticity of the texts, honesty and integrity, have been duly observed.

Results: About eight traditional names of plants used for eczema relief were extracted from the second book of "Qanoon" and their scientific names were identified. Recent studies have revealed the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects of most of these plants.

Conclusion: Although the effects of many of the identified plants from traditional Persian medicine on eczema have not been studied in modern sources, these plants, with their identified effects on inflammation and infection, could be suitable candidates for further research on eczema management.

Background and Aim: With the Allied invasion, the southern half of Iran became the scene of a widespread presence of British and American occupying forces. The negative consequences of the foreign elements’ domination throughout the years of the war and even after it affected these regions in various dimensions and caused problems for the health and medical system of this part of the country in various forms of shortage of medicine, equipment and medical staff, the spread of various infectious and contagious diseases, addiction, mental and sexually transmitted diseases and food poverty. The present article aims to examine the health effects of World War II on the southern, southwestern and eastern regions of Iran in the years 1324-1318 AH and its consequences on these regions. Accordingly, the author, relying on first-hand sources, tries to answer the question of how World War II affected the health structure of the southern regions of Iran?

Methods: The method is a historical analysis based on the library method and the study of unpublished document data from the archives of the National Archives and Library Organization, medical and socio-economic journals and various local and general Iranian newspapers during this period.

Ethical Considerations: In this article, the originality of the text, honesty and trustworthiness have been respected in referring to sources and using other data.

Results: With the collapse of the first Pahlavi government and the crises resulting from the negative consequences of the occupation of Iran by the Allies, the growth process of the southern coastal borders of the country was in crisis and stagnation and collapse covered most of the social, economic, security and especially health sectors of these regions. The spread of some new diseases resulting from the arrival of thousands of foreign soldiers and Polish refugees who were carriers of infectious diseases, the shortage of medicine and medical equipment, mental illnesses, addiction, poverty and prostitution, child deaths, severe physical weakness resulting from widespread malnutrition and artificial famine were examples of these consequences. An examination of these negative factors shows that the health status of the southern coastal areas of Iran during the presence of foreign occupiers has undergone a completely reverse trend compared to the period of Reza Shah's rule (1304-1320 AH).

Conclusion: The study of documents and newspapers shows that due to the political and military problems of the central government, the restrictive policies of the Allies, the severe weakness of economic infrastructure, the lack of proper communication lines and the shortage of means of transportation, the lack of attention to local employment-generating industries, the smuggling of public food, the abandonment of development projects, insecurity, successive waves of famine and widespread malnutrition, epidemic diseases and drug hoarding, these regions experienced a period of economic decline, widespread poverty, backwardness and ultimately a severe decline in the level of public health.

Backgrounds and Effects of Safavid Physicians’ Migration to the Ottoman Empire

Zekrollah Mohammadi, fayezeh Shojaeinia, Beheshte Zarghamian Azad

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-14
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.42290

Background and Aim: Safavids as the first government after Islam, who established a centralized system and formalize Shiism in Iran, were neighbors in the east and west with governments such as the Ottoman Empire and India. Scientists from these lands interacted with each other and engaged in scientific, cultural and economic exchanges. The present article seeks to examine the reasons for physicians’ immigration as one of the important groups of society in this period, to the Ottoman Empire and their religious beliefs, political crises and court rivalries, as well as the impact of the social, political and economic conditions of the Ottoman land on these immigrations.

Methods: In this descriptive-analytical article, data analysis has been conducted by collecting information from library sources and historical texts.

Ethical Considerations: In this research, honesty&trustworthiness in the use ot sources have been respected.

Results: The findings indicate the strictness of the kings and the religious beliefs that governed the political system of the Safavid era on the one hand and the favorable political and economic climate in the Ottoman society on the other. In addition, the Ottoman kings' welcome of Iranian scholars and scientists to settle in the Ottoman land was one of the main reasons for physicians’ immigration.

Conclusion: The medical community in the Safavid period, despite being considered an important court class, faced many problems, including murder, confiscation of property, removal from office and exile. Therefore, they migrated from Iran to the Ottoman Empire and wrote very valuable works in Persian and Arabic, which contributed to the flourishing of medical science in the Ottoman Empire. The most important of these works include Hayat-al-Haywan Demiry, Rojou-al-Sheikh Ibn Kamal, Risala fi al-Taoun by Uthman Tabib and Mirat al-Sehha by Ghiyath al-Din Isfahani.

Background and Aim: Architecture, as a container of human life, is the science of creating environments. One of the important environments is the treatment centers, which play an important role in maintaining and improving people's health. Iranian traditional medicine has paid attention to human interaction with the environment through the senses for health and treatment. In such a way that in addition to paying attention to the sense of sight in understanding the environment, doctors have provided recommendations for the use of environmental sounds and scents, which must also be addressed. This research tries to examine useful medical recommendations, especially how to use sound and smell and their effect on health and treatment.

Methods: The present qualitative research was written with descriptive-analytical method and using library sources.

Ethical Considerations: In this research, not only has it been tried that the principle of fidelity and loyalty as well as originality of resources to be taken into account, but it also has been tried to avoid bias in referring to the texts or analyses.

Results: Both sound and smell affect human emotional symptoms, but the scent also plays a role in the health and treatment of people by affecting the air quality.

Conclusion: Smelling a pleasant aroma and hearing a pleasant sound are good for health. Therefore, architects due to the subtleties hidden in the design of the environment and doctors due to the effect of smell and sound have an important role in the health and treatment of various diseases. Based on this, creating separate and effective sound systems and music rooms in different parts of medical centers and paying attention to consumables due to the effect on the smell of the environment, air quality and the amount of sound absorption and reflection require special attention. Also, using the scent in the building's air conditioning system and creating green spaces suitable for each treatment department and installing water features and fountains to hear the sound of water, birds and the rustling of trees can help to create the desired sound and smell and thus speed up the treatment.

Background and aims: Since the past, the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of many diseases has attracted people's attention. The outbreak of the Covid-19 disease since December 2019 may have led to stress and anxiety due to its unknown nature. The present study aims to investigat the recognition, amount of consumption, source of preparation and effectiveness of sedative medicinal plants in reducing stress caused by the spread of this disease from the perspective of the people of Khouzestan, Isfahan, Markazi and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces.

Method: The present research is an applied cross-sectional-analytical type that was conducted at one point in time (Spring 2019). The research tool was a researcher-made online questionnaire with 10 general items, 23 specialized items and 12 items regarding the names of commonly used plants. Questionnaires were randomly distributed in four selected provinces. Data was analysed by SPSS 22 software.

Ethical Considerations: In this study, criteria concerned with moral principles as confidentiality, personal satisfaction and freedom of participants in cooperation or non-cooperation during the study process have been observed.

Findings: The findings of one-sample t-test showed that the most effective factor in the use of sedative medicinal plants was the preference for the use and therir effectiveness compared to chemical drugs. The results showed that the residence province had a significant effect on the item"sedative medicinal plants had a significant effect in reducing the stress of the corona crisis in me" and the people of the Markazi province had the highest average. Ginger (3.61), thyme (3.43) and cinnamon (3.42) were the most consumed herbs among the people, which seems that in addition to the goal of reducing anxiety, increasing the immune system was also one of the reasons for using them which is also consistent to the results of t -test. Also, the findings showed that people considered Attari as the main source of supply.

Conclusion: People in different provinces had different knowledge of sedative plants and used them to reduce the stress of this disease.

The Role of Jundi Shapour Ophthalmic Traditions in Development of Baghdad School of Ophthalmology

Rouhollah Bahrami, Mehdi Ezati, Maryam Valipour

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-13
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.40775

Background and Aim: Although ophthalmology was considered in Egypt, Ancient Greece, India, Iran, Mesopotamia and other civilizations and even among primitive Arabs in the ancient world, but until the establishment of city of Shapour and Jundishapour University during the time of Shapour and Khosrow Anoushirvan, it wasn’t an organized system and scientific and international order. In this research, we discuss the role of ophthalmologists of the Jundishapour and investigate the importance and status of this knowledge and how it was formed, developed and transferred to the scientific base of the Islamic world in Baghdad during the first period of Abbasid Caliphate.

Methods: This article is based on the approach of historical studies and the use of original historical sources and texts and modern research and is organized in a descriptive-analytical way.

Ethical Considerations: In the compilation of this research, the principles of reference and reference to original historical sources have been observed.

Results: Jundishapour International University combined school in the Sasanian era as the largest university in the ancient world has played an important role in development of medical system and Islamic medicine and organizing various branches of medical science including ophthalmology in the history of science.

Conclusion: In ancient times, different traditions and schools of medicine and ophthalmology were common. With the establishment of Jundishapour scientific center, the traditions and schools of ophthalmology of various Mesopotamians, Syriac, Greek, Indian and Iranian civilizations were combined in Jundishapour, and the knowledge of ophthalmology as a branch of medical sciences in the university Jundishapour was formed. After the Islamic conquests and the passing of the first century, the scientific traditions and knowledge of ophthalmology were transferred to the world of Islam and the scientific school of Baghdad and Islamic civilization through Iranian doctors. Finally, the ancient heritage of ancient ophthalmic knowledge flourished in the Islamic civilization in the third and fourth centuries of Hijri and led to the emergence of great doctors such as Ammar Mosuli and Ali Ibn Isa Baghdadi.

Investigating the Healthcare Status in Khouzestan in the Second World War (1941-1945 A.D)

Zahra Ghalavand, Fatemeh Ghalavand

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-13
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.43235

Background and Aim: The occupation of Iran by the Allies in Shahrivar 1320 AH faced the country with a great crisis. Considering the strategic and geographical location of Khouzestan, the Allies attacked this province and finally it was captured by them after the army's resistance was crushed. The occupation of Khouzestan brought harmful results, especially in the field of healthcare. The purpose of the current research is to investigate the healthcare status in Khouzestan during the Second World War in 1320-1324 AH.

Methods: This descriptive-analytical article was written with the library method and using archival sources and documents and newspapers of that time.

Ethical Considerations: In this research, the principle of trustworthiness and honesty in citing library and archival sources, originality of sources and avoiding bias in texts and analyzes have been observed.

Results: The results indicate that with the Allies’ domination on Khouzestan, the disruption of social order and the reduction of the central government’s supervision on healthcare, many infectious diseases that had decreased in the first Pahlavi period reappeared and the organization of healthcare faced problems.

Conclusion: Hunger, lack of health and medical facilities, increased transportation and lack of quarantine during the occupation of Khouzestan by the Allies led to the spread of infectious diseases such as malaria and typhus and increased casualties and continued until Allies’ departure. However, no effective measures were taken to improve health and increase medical services.

Social Reflection of Midwifery School; A Study of Change of Women’s Social Status in the Qajar Period

manita khalilipour, Jamal Mousavi, Hasan Zandieh

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-10
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.45606

Background and Aim: The extent of women's access to educational facilities, social welfare and health as social status criteria is related to various factors. The establishment of the midwifery school was a manifestation of the importance of women's health and the provision of their medical services and part of the executive policies in line with modernity, but so far, the consequences of the establishment of this educational institution and its role in changing the women’s social status have not been investigated in independent research. Therefore, in this research, the social reflection of this school as an educational and cultural institution and influencing the position of women is examined.

Methods: This research has been done by referring to travelogues (to understand the women’s general situation), documents available in the National Records Organization of Iran (understanding the importance of the school) and Qajar period publications (knowing the impact of the school and becoming scientific of this profession).

Ethical Considerations: In this research, honesty& trustworthiness in the use ot sources have been respected.

Results: The establishment of midwifery school as a turning point in the history of scientific developments in the age of confrontation between Iran and the West, at the same time as the beginning of many social changes, helped to improve the interaction process of traditional and modern discourse. Graduates of this school improved the field for women's awareness, participation and achievement of their true position in Iran's medical and educational system, emphasizing the mothers’ health and helped to improve their social status in a traditional but modern society. While paying attention to the importance of the presence of Iranian women in the field of education, they were involved in accelerating the process of women's education, relying on the fact that ignoring their education leads to the inefficiency of half of the society.

Conclusion: The establishment of a midwifery school was a new experience in the heart of the modern society which changed Iranian women’s status in order to produce knowledge and provide useful solutions. In order to create a stable identity, this educational institution organized women's social demands by strengthening self-confidence and self-belief, through increasing health awareness and legal knowledge.

Examining the Book Tabaqat al-Atibba wa al-Hukama, Ibn Juljul and its Impact on Medical Historiography during Islamic Period

zahra Rooholahi Amiri, vahideh heyran, maryam, Mohseni Seifabadi

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-14
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.47078

Background and Aim: The fourth century AH can be considered the peak of the progress of science, especially medical science and one of the most wonderful Islamic eras. In the history of science, examining the capabilities and status of Muslim scientists is one of the fundamental topics in the field of scientific innovations, because attention to this issue will lead to the growth and prosperity of ideas and thus scientific progress. During this century, Ibn Juljul had his influence on the medical historiography of the Islamic period through the authorship of the book Tabaqât al-Atibbâ' wa-l-hukamâ. He had a major contribution to the major cultural movement in the first centuries of Islam and he translated and explained good sources and resources on medicine. His book is noteworthy as a legacy of many statements of medicine and doctors before it was written and as a collector of information about the time of writing the book and the transfer of many news from that time to his later works. This article examines the reason and explanation for the influence of Ibn Juljul 's book on medical history in the Islamic era.

Methods: In this research, it has been tried to pay attention to the political and cultural conditions of that time, in addition to the life of the author and the introduction of the book, in a different way from the documentary-library method and in a descriptive-analytical way.

Ethical Considerations: In this research all ethical and trustworthiness principles have been fully observed in referring to documents.

Results: This book can give us a correct picture of the medical movement in Andalusia; Especially when talking about the life of the most important famous doctors of that time; Through their news and writings and various medicines that have been helpful for various diseases, Ibn Juljul is among those who discussed the issue of doctors' ethics. The author mentions the ethics of doctors, rulers and people in different ways from the different groups he is talking about. The author of Tabaqat al-Atibba wa al-Hukama was an expert in medical problems and treatments. He is the custodian of much valuable scientific information in the subject of medical historiography.

Conclusion: The book Tabaqat al-Atibba wa al-Hukama is a valuable heritage and a source of inspiration in the historiography of medicine and doctors in the Islamic era. In this book, Ibn Juljul has mentioned some of the material that is very important in the history of science. In this book, there are many things that have been discussed for the first time. Considering that he is the first author who had access to precious Latin works and has benefited a lot in writing these books; Therefore, it can help us in solving the dark spots of medical historiography in the Islamic period. Also, the author has neglected or refused to mention the works and status of a group of famous sages and doctors who appeared in the Far East until the author's time and were of Iranian race.

The Conceptualization of the Terms Cholera and Plague in the Islamic Period before the Black Death

Sepideh Mohammadbeigi, Ahmad Fazlinejad

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-17
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.44377

Background and Aim: The titles given to the plague disease before the Black Death were general and unclear. Also narrative treatises dealing with this disease were vague and incomplete and included all types of epidemics. Although some medical treatises also aimed to know the cause of epidemic diseases and with titles such as air pollution and contagion in this time, but the medical works that study the plague from medical, theological and other aspects are the product of the period after 748 AH/1347 AD.

Methods: The current research aims to investigate the conceptualization of the terms cholera and plague in the Islamic period, prior to the outbreak of the Black Death in the 7th century AH/14th century AD, using a descriptive-analytical approach and library resources.

Ethical Considerations: In this research, honesty& trustworthiness in the use ot sources have been respected.

Results: The findings of this research show that a famous physician like Ibn Sina used the word plague in the fourth century AH to describe epidemics with fever and swelling and high mortality, while other words such as cholera was also common. In 748 AH, a deadly disease spread in the world with symptoms of painful swelling and black spots on the thighs, armpits and neck, which resulted in high casualties in a short time and became known as the Black Death or the black plague. The geographical spread and long duration of this type of plague throughout the world led to the term "plague" being used in many cases in Eastern medical dictionaries for the epidemic of the 8th century AH/14th century AD and its subsequent recurrent waves. In other words, although various types of plague had always plagued humanity before and after the outbreak of the Black Death, the bubonic plague was called plague in the general sense; as if this type of plague had been the only one that had spread in human history.

Conclusion: Under the influence of the medical paradigm inherited from the Greeks in the era of translation, epidemics, fevers that caused epidemics and fatal diseases were generally called plague, cholera and epidemics in Islamic medical works and were discussed more. Over time, each of these terms was applied to a specific disease and its clinical symptoms were followed up more specifically. From this time, paying attention to the effect of the four humors and maintaining the balance between them in diseases became the dominant intellectual model of the medical community. Doctors believed that not only plague but also many diseases were phenomena that appeared and spread when the air deteriorates.

Background and Aim: Examining the evolution of drug protection practices from the pre-modern to the post-modern era, dating back to 3000 BC, is essential to gain a comprehensive understanding of trends, historical patterns and evidence-based strategies for addressing the problem of counterfeit drugs in the modern era. Tracing this evolutionary path provides valuable insights into the historical context, challenges and advances made in combating the illicit production and distribution of counterfeit drugs. This paper traces the historical trajectory of efforts to protect pharmaceutical products against counterfeiting over time and outlines key historical developments, innovations and regulatory frameworks that have shaped the landscape of drug safety and anti-counterfeiting efforts.

Methods: This research, using an analytical-descriptive and quantitative coursework method, based on reliable documentation and archival sources, including domestic and foreign books and articles, has examined the status of the protection of pharmaceutical products and how its laws and regulations have evolved over the period from 3000 BC to 2024 by searching for the keywords laws, drug protection, public health, counterfeiting, ancient, modern and postmodern in the electronic scientific database Google Scholar.

Ethical Considerations: In this study, ethical considerations, honesty and trustworthiness have been observed in referencing texts to the sources.

Results: The evolution of legal measures to protect pharmaceutical products shows the transition from primitive customary laws to formal frameworks in the modern era. The introduction of pharmacopoeias and consumer protection laws marked significant advances in regulating the drug quality and authenticity. Legal and ethical approaches to protect pharmaceutical products have evolved significantly from the pre-modern to the post-modern era, accompanied by technological advances.

Conclusion: Inspired by historical developments and adapting to new challenges, it emphasizes the need for continued vigilance and the development of innovation and new technologies in protecting public health and ensuring the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products. It is essential to shift regulatory strategies related to regulatory practices from a reactive approach to a proactive and practical stance focused on prevention.

Background and Aim: Muslims studied medical sciences in the third century AH After translating the works of other peoples and each land in their vast territory contributed to the growth and development of this scientific heritage. The Islamic Maghreb, which extended from the west of Egypt to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, played a major role in cultivating great physicians and pharmacists and presenting the works and results of their efforts to humanity. This study aims to explain Ibn Jazzar’s role in the development of medical knowledge and pharmacy in Islamic Maghrib.

Methods: The method is descriptive-analytical, library and based on historical data and statements. After reviewing historical sources and references, the materials was categorized, data analyzed and the article was written.

Ethical Considerations: The ethical aspects of library research, including the originality of texts, honesty and trustworthiness, have been observed.

Results: The findings show that Ibn Jazzar, a famous Moroccan physician and pharmacist, in addition to practicing medicine, paid attention to producing medical knowledge through studying and comparing the medical works of Greek predecessors and writing numerous works in the fields of medical knowledge, botany and pharmacy.

Conclusion: The results which were obtained through answering the research questions show that Ibn Jazzar Maghrib grew up in the stable conditions of the Fatimid era and his family profession, which was medicine, led him to this profession. In addition to medicine, he also paid special attention to pharmacy, which provided the basis for the separation of these sciences. Ibn Jazzar left behind valuable works in the fields of medicine and pharmacy and played an important role in expanding the scientific and civilizational boundaries of Islam in the field of medical sciences

Background and Aim: One of the periods of development and advancement of medical and pharmacological knowledge in Iran was the period from Al-e-Bouyeh until the end of Ilkhanid (322-736 AH). In this period, Fars province was one of the main centers for the production of some medicinal herbal oils. This research aims to investigate the position of Fars province in supplying medicinal herbal oils from Al-e-Bouyeh to the end of Ilkhanid period.

Methods: In this research, using a descriptive-analytical approach, library information were collected from historical, geographical and medical history sources and analyzed to achieve the desired goals.

Ethical Considerations: In the current research, the authenticity of the texts, honesty and trustworthiness have been observed.

Results: In Al-e-Bouyeh until the end of Ilkhanid, the use of herbal oils to treat many diseases was common. During this period, due to the vastness and variety of climate, Fars was the place where many plants grew, from which various medicinal oils were prepared and exported to other parts of Iran and the word.

Conclusion: During the Al-e-Bouyeh until the end of Ilkhani period in Fars, various medicinal herbal oils such as Rose, Narcissus, Jasmine, Violet, Kadi, etc. were produced. The cities of Shiraz, Shapour, Kazeroun and Firoozabad were the main centers of production of medicinal herbal oils in Fars.

Review Article


Background and Aim: Newspaper is one of the tools of knowledge transfer, the result of modernity and one of the constitutional achievements. Golgoun as one of the published local newspapers in Hamedan played a significant role in increasing the knowledge of all citizens during the first Pahlavi period. Health and medical issues were the focus of this newspaper. The purpose of this article is to review the health and medical news and reports published in this newspaper to know the situation in Hamedan at that time.

Methods: This research analyzed the data and explained the findings in a library and descriptive-analytical way. Its main source is Golgoun newspaper and its news and reports. Other sources that are related to this research and the health status of Hamedan in the first Pahlavi period have also been used.

Ethical Considerations: In this study, the principles of trustworthiness and honesty have been observed.

Results: Among the health and medical content Published in Golgoun newspaper are the advice to follow health considerations, introducing diseases and their treatment methods and knowing the types of medicines and famous doctors of Hamedan. The fight against superstitions and illegal usage was considered as the most important mission of this newspaper, which was successful to some extent.

Conclusion: When the lack of health and medical facilities was felt not only in Hamedan, but in the whole country, Golgoun was able to inform the readers about the importance of health in improving nations and the problems of not paying attention to it by publishing numerous articles and provide valuable information to the audiences. The publication of these materials was its operators’ sensitivity and concern towards the health and medicine and in line of the commitment to the principle of "prevention is better than cure".

Causes of Outbreaks, Ways to Prevent and Treat Malaria and Plague in Iran According to the European Tourists’ Report

Nematollah Zakipour, Keshvad Siahpour, Mohammad Ghorbani

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-12
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.33985

Background and Aim: Malaria and plague were among the most important diseases that spread based on environmental conditions and characteristics. The purpose of this research is to investigate the causes and areas of prevalence, ways of prevention and treatment of these two deadly diseases in Iran (1304-1344) based on the of European tourists’ reports.

Methods: This research has been written in a descriptive-analytical way by referring to texts and library sources and historical editions.

Ethical Considerations: In referring to documents and sources, the principles of trustworthiness, honesty and inference from historical data have been observed.

Results: Infectious diseases such as malaria and plague appeared and spread due to the lack of sanitary facilities and personal and environmental health. But the role of individual and group attitudes of different layers of society in the causes of disease and their treatment methods should be considered. The penetration of folk beliefs among a large part of the society, unwillingness and lack of trust in modern treatment methods - with the arrival of modern medicine in Iran - had a great impact on the spread of infectious diseases and mortality.

Conclusion: The results show that following the use of modern treatment methods, the death from infectious diseases of malaria and plague decreased from the end of the Qajar and during the Pahlavi - especially Pahlavi II. The absence and weakness of health and treatment facilities and equipment, climatic-environmental conditions and social communication, as well as adherence to traditional medicine and negative attitude to modern treatment methods, caused the emergence and spread of infectious diseases of malaria and plague in Iran.

Therapeutic Effects of Alhagi Maurorum on Kidney Diseases: A Systematic Review

Fatemeh Hasanzadeh, Negin Abolhasanbeigi, Zahra Hasanzadeh, Negin Salehi, Mahdi Tavakolizadeh, Ehsan Amiri-Ardekani

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-12
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.39386

Background and Aim: Chronic kidney disease affects one out of ten people today. These diseases are generally irreversible, progressive and associated with cardiovascular risks. One of the most widely used plants in ethnomedicine for kidney diseases is Alhagi maurorum, which has not yet been reviewed by any scientific study on its renal effects. Therefore, the present systematic review was conducted in order to review the therapeutic effect of A.maurorum on kidney diseases.

Methods: The Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE, Google Scholar and ProQuest databases were searched using relevant MeSH keywords to identify relevant studies using PRISMA standards. All studies of A.maurorum and the role of its compounds in kidney diseases and their mechanism of action were included. Studies have shown that A.maurorum and its mann (commonly known as Manna of hedysarum or Toranjebin in farsi) have a diuretic effect and prevent kidney spasms.

Ethical Considerations: In the current research, the ethical aspects of Review studies, including the authenticity, honesty and trustworthiness, have been observed.

Results: The results showed that the hydrophilic extract of this plant reduces the concentration of urinary oxalate and the formation of urinary calcium oxalate stones and the flavonoid compounds of this plant have immediate oxidant effects that prevent damage to renal epithelial cells. Also, consumption of the plant reduces serum creatinine and improves kidney function. In addition, ethanolic extract of A. maurorum root has an antispasmodic and relaxing effect on the urethra and is effective in relieving pain caused by kidney stones (urethral contraction).

Conclusion: Therefore, we conclude that this plant can be used to improve kidney function as well as treat kidney disease.

Study Anointing in the Catholic Church as a Single-Method Treatment

Kamran Mahlooji, Mahsima Abdoli, Mohsen Baghbani

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-12
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.41707

Background and Aim: Single-method treatment is a method of treatment that often removes the disease from the body of patients with the help of an immaterial source and using only one method, regardless of the type of disease and it has not been studied so far. This article deals with one of the examples of this treatment method, namely ointment ordinance in the Catholic Church and its roots throughout history and other related issues.

Methods: In this research, religious and mythological sources in different religious, literary and historical fields, especially the holy texts of Christianity, were examined for comparison and analysis. Also, with the keywords of single-method treatments, tradition of anointing, anointing in Christianity, anointing with oil, anointing in Judaism and anointing in the Catholic Church, related articles in reliable citation databases such as Pubmed, Scopus, Google Scholar, SID and Magiran were reviewed and after Measuring the validity of their findings, some of them were cited.

Ethical Considerations: In the current research, the ethical aspects of library study, including the authenticity of texts, honesty and trustworthiness, have been observed.

Results: In the Catholic Church, patients’ anointing is one of the seven traditional rites that are performed as a symbol of eternal life and health of soul and body. This ritual has been popular among other ancient tribes, but based on the special approach of Catholic Christians in terms of its religious position in the church and also the special conditions that were given to the performers of this ritual; its importance is distinguished from other tribes.

Conclusion: Single-method treatments, which are used in the treatment of diseases by connecting to a supernatural source, have been common among some tribes for a long time. The rite of anointing in the Catholic Church was not initially considered a one-way cure, but only a religious tradition, but it gradually evolved throughout history and evolved in the church and healing was achieved through it.

Public Health in Boushehr during the Qajar Period (Based on the Foreign Tourists’ Reports)

Farzad Khoshab, Jafar Aghazadeh

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-13
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.43119

Background and Aim: Boushehr port as one of the southernmost regions of Iran was of great political and economic importance. With the expansion of the foreign relations of the ruling dynasties of Iran with other nations through the sea, its importance increased and in the Qajar era, with the presence of companies and diplomatic delegations, it became one of the communication bottlenecks of Iran with the outside world. Due to the presence of political and business delegations, valuable reports about the public health status of this city have been left.

Methods: The present study explains the state of public health in Boushehr in the Qajar period with a descriptive-analytical approach and using the reports of foreign tourists.

Ethical Considerations: In this research, standards related to ethical principles such as trustworthiness and honesty of reference to the used texts, originality of sources and avoiding bias in referring to texts or analyzes have been observed.

Results: The findings showed that, according to the reports of foreign tourists, the Qajar rulers’ carelessness, the lack of health facilities, and being located on the sea communication highway of Iran with other countries, have been effective in the disorder of health conditions in Boushehr. Like other regions of Iran, Boushehr had a low level of health during the Qajar period, and the people of this city suffered from all kinds of diseases.

Conclusion: Boushehr was the first place of Iran that foreign tourists entered and before getting acquainted with the rest of the regions of Iran and with the standards of their own country, they made judgments about this city and its health conditions, emphasizing several important components such as air, water, urban environment and home hygiene, usually reported the general health of the city as unfavorable. Despite the limited measures taken by the Qajar government and the British government to improve the health level and fight diseases, there was no significant change in the health conditions of this region until the end of the Qajar rule.

The Process of Transferring Medical Science Achievements to the Western World in the Abbasid Era Based on Diffusion Theory

Batool Rabiei, Boshra Delrish, Elham Malekzadeh, Koorosh Fathi

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-17
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.40952

Background and Aim: Among the important achievements of Islamic civilization is medicine in the form of teachings known as Islamic medicine. Medicine in the Islamic civilization, especially in the Abbasid era (132-656 AH), enjoyed great progress and brought great and remarkable achievements. At the same timewestern world, in many ways, pursued the efficiency of these achievements seriously. In current research, the explanation and analysis of the progress of medical science in the Abbasid era and the ways of its transmission to the west have been studied based on the "diffusion theory" as a theoretical framework.

Methods: In this research, the library method was used to collect data and the historical method based on descriptive-analytical approach was used.

Ethical Considerations: In this research, the principles of trustworthiness and honesty of citing the used texts, originality of sources and avoiding bias in referring to texts or analyzes have been observed.

Results: The findings show that medical knowledge was one of the first sciences that the Islamic world learned based on the medical data of Iran, India and Greece and then developed it in the best possible way and transferred it to other societies.

Conclusion: According to the "diffusion theory", the Islamic world was the influential source in the field of medical knowledge in the Abbasid era and the influential destination was Europe and the western world and the ways and channels of transmission were mentioned along with its obstacles. The process of transferring these achievements to the west could be done through wars, geographic transfer, or access to Islamic texts and their translation.

How and Why Epidemic Diseases Spread in Yazd from Timurid Era to the End of Safavid Era

safa zare sangederazi, Zekrollah Mohammadi

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-15
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.43883

Background and Aim: The spread of epidemic diseases in Yazd has a long history. The approach of this research to epidemic diseases is based on the report of these diseases in Yazd, based on public and local sources from Timurid era to the end of Safavid era. A cursory look at the sources of these periods shows that the spread of epidemic diseases in Yazd, which had a direct impact on the social and economic life, especially the lower classes of the society, was mostly due to political factors. This research aims to answer the following questions: In the time frame of the present research, what factors have been effective in the spread of epidemic diseases in Yazd? Epidemic diseases have had a greater impact on which social classes from a sociological point of view and what factors have been effective in this impact?

Methods: This research, with a descriptive and analytical approach and based on a library study by referring to first and second hand sources, tries to find out how and why the outbreak of epidemic diseases by examining the reports of these sources. Pay attention to these diseases in Yazd during these periods.

Ethical Considerations: In compiling this research, the principles of trustworthiness and honesty in citing the used texts, originality of the source and avoiding bias in referring to the texts or analyzes have been observed.

Results: The findings show that during the Timurid and later Safavid periods, the spread of epidemic diseases in Yazd had a direct relationship with the political, economic and social situation of that time. Therefore, whenever the internal and external political situation became tense, it played a significant role in the spread of epidemic diseases, and besides that, the members of the society in economic hardships such as famine and bruises or lack of food and Their needs were placed, it has been effective on the spread of epidemic diseases.

Conclusion: The investigations show that epidemic diseases were more prevalent during the Timurid period in Yazd, which left many human and financial losses, mostly due to many battles and sieges or Due to widespread famines and droughts, it has spread. During this period, most of the lower classes of Yazd society were involved with this disease, but in the Safavid era, all classes of society were affected by this disease.

Background and Aim: Jāmi medicine is one of the herbal medicines which is used in the society and discussed in Hakim Aghili Khorasani’s Qarābādīn Kabīr. This study aims to introduce this medicine in terms of its characteristics, application and how to use it from the perspective of Hakim Aghili Khorasani and to determine the status of its ingredients in traditional and common medicine.

Methods: This research is a review of various sources of traditional medicine especially Qarābādīn Kabīr. The studied sources include primary texts from the Islamic civilization available in Noor digital library and various electronic databases.

Ethical Considerations: In compiling this research, the principles of trustworthiness and honesty of citing the used texts, originality of sources and avoiding bias in referring to texts or analyzes have been observed.

Results: Hakim Aghili Khorasani is one of the greatest Iranian physicians of the late 12th and early 13th centuries AH and the largest Qarābādīn that exists to this day is one of his works. In this book, Jāmi medicine, referred to as Dawā al-Jāmiʿah, is associated with Imam Riḍā (A) and is used for treating conditions such as paralysis, heart palpitations, tuberculosis and cough. The formulation includes honey, sunbul al-ṭīb, saffron, cardamom, Aqirqarḥā, white kharbaq, white al-banj seeds, white pepper and Farfīyūn. Traditional medical texts attribute numerous beneficial properties to these ingredients.

Conclusion: Although no laboratory research has been done on Jāmi medicine, there are some traditional medicine texts and new medical articles about the terms of this drug separately and regardless of their use in the mentioned drug, which reported several therapeutic properties for them. Since the benefits and applications mentioned for this drug in Qarābādīn Kabīr seem likely, it is suggested to research in order to its safety and effectiveness.

A Review of Equine History with an Emphasis on Equine Ophthalmology

Babak Abbasbeigi, Marziyeh Riahy Nejad

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-15
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i49.42042

Background and Aim: Farsnameh (horse letter) is books which examine the method of training and maintenance, health, types of horse diseases and methods of treatment of these diseases. The eye as one of the most vital organs of the horse is easily exposed to various diseases with internal or external origin. This article is a review of equine history with an emphasis on equine eye diseases in ancient veterinary history.

Methods: This research was done based on library sources and descriptive method.

Ethical Considerations: In this research, honesty and trustworthiness have been observed in the use of historical sources.

Results: Horse eye diseases have always been of interest throughout the history of veterinary medicine and have been mentioned in historical texts, especially Farsnamehs. The importance of this research is that it lies in the fact that the authors, by emphasizing the ancient texts of the Islamic period, found diseases whose names are incomprehensible for many people today and perhaps one of the reasons for that are language changes in the field of history.

Conclusion: The study of horse eye diseases in Farsnameh opens a window to the knowledge and methods of equine science throughout history. With remarkable advances in this field, studying ancient texts can help to gain a deeper understanding of the origins and evolution of equine knowledge.

Background and Aim: This research studies the health status and its dimensions in the Iranian society of the Naseri period from the perspective of two female orientalists who traveled to different cities during their stay in Iran and wrote about their experiences. It aims to get familiar with the health status, the design of its components and dependents, which will be a foundation for future researches on social studies of health.

Methods: The research method is qualitative and based on the analysis of the travelogues of Dieulafoy and Bell as a document.

Ethical Considerations: In this research, honesty and trustworthiness in the use of historical sources have been fully respected.

Results: Introduction of fatal and epidemic diseases such as cholera, malaria, tuberculosis and typhoid and other common diseases such as digestive diseases, pinworm infection and skin diseases and paying attention to environmental health focusing on water pollution and sewage disposal are among the findings of the research. In addition, it also provides information on the eating habits, nutritional status and physical structure of Iranians of that period.

Conclusion: Bell and Dieulafoy’s travelogues provide useful information about the general health status and the incidence of various diseases in certain groups (including children) and deepen the population trends in terms of the resulting mortality statistics. Certainly, the respective governments of these orientalists have paid attention to the health dimensions of Iranians in their political and economic evaluations in order to communicate with the Iranian government. Considering the place of public health in the Iranian lifestyle, it can be clearly seen that the lifestyle, including manners, customs, eating habits, clothing and etc. have acted as social components that determine the health of Iranians.

Background and Aim: The Samani period was one of the periods of Iranian scientific and cultural advancement in the third and fourth centuries of Hijri. In this period, most common sciences and knowledge, including religious, literary and scientific, had a significant growth and prosperity. One of the main factors of this growth was Samani emirs and ministers’ support of scholars and scientists. Medicine, as one of the branches of science that had a clear brilliance, was effective in the prosperity of the scientific environment of that time. In addition to the emergence of many scientists and their services, many medical works were also authored that he most famous of which is "Al-Tanvir in medical terminology" book by Abu Mansour Al-Qamari Bukhari. The purpose of this research is to explain and analyze the content of Al-Tanvir and its practical role in medical issues of Samani period.

Methods: This article is written in a historical way by describing and analyzing data collected from library sources.

Ethical Considerations: In the present study, the ethical aspects of library study, including the originality of texts, honesty, and trustworthiness, have been observed.

Results: Abu Mansour has introduced and explained medical terms by writing Al-Tanvir as a comprehensive guide. The comprehensiveness of medical terms for the doctors of that period and the choice of Persian language and the simplicity of the description of the terms were useful for the general public of that period and even later periods.

Conclusion: From the simplicity and comprehensibility of Al-Tanvir, it can be concluded that this book is suitable for the practical use of beginner doctors and even the general public.

Greek and Egyptian Physicians' Face in Gharabadin-e Salehi

Mohsen Baghbani, Hasan Komaar, Farzaneh Zare

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-18
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.41011

Background and Aim: One of the most prominent Qarabadin in medical education is Qarabadin-e Salehi. This research aims to extract and report Greek and Egyptian physicians’ identity from this book.

Methods: In this study, which was conducted by a documentary method and based on lithography press of the Dar al-Sultaneh written in 1866, firstly, Greek and Egyptian physicians of Gharabadin-e Salehi were collected and then reported according to the historical sequence and the frequency of each persion in the book.

Ethical Considerations: All ethical principles, including the authenticity of Qarabadin Salehi's manuscript and the authors' intellectual rights, were considered.

Results: 33 physicians in form of medical, historical, philosophical and scientific figures were found in Gharabadin-e Salehi. The highest frequencies belong to Galen (87 ones), Hippocrates (39 ones) and Aristotle (10 ones) respectively. In some cases, these characters find ritual and religious aspects; As Hermes is matched with Idris, Aghatazimon with Seth and Discoridos with Luqman.

Conclusion: Considering the Personal identity and national and social affiliations mentioned in Gharabadin-e Salehi and their frequencies can help to better understand the medical records throughout history and their interpretation.

 

A Review of the Treatment of Medical Prescriptions in some Medical and Literary Works

Mozhde Sharafkhah, Ali Reza Taheri

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-24
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.42713

Background and Aim: Book illustration has played a significant role in popularizing ideas and making literary, scientific and historical texts more accessible. In other words, art has made science less complicated and easier to understand for the general reader. Examining therapy-themed literary books from the Islamic Age leads us to medicine as the origin of the medical writing they contain. Pictures in Islamic medical manuscripts depict subjects discussed in the text, such as human and animal dissection, therapeutic procedures, disease prevention and medicinal properties of herbs. It seems that dealing with the treatment methods of doctors and prescribing them in literary texts and its depiction in literary versions of the Islamic period has not been paid much attention by researchers. Among the cases of this research. Until now, there have been researches about the prescription of doctors, which mostly referred to treatment methods. However, there has not been a research that specifically evaluates the effect of medical texts and imagery, especially therapeutic writing in literary versions. As the evidence shows, only a handful of Persian doctors wrote on therapeutic procedures; the same doctors who were the most prolific in their field and produced comprehensive theories. Among these physicians were Abu Bakr al-Razi, Avicenna and Zayn al-Din Jorjani the three most influential figures of their day in medicine and in literary medical writing.

Methods: Conducted as descriptive-analytical research, the study explored the relationship between medicine and artworks found in medicine-related literary books, aiming to answer one specific question: To what extent was the medical writing in Islamic literary books influenced by theoretical medical discussions and clinical instructions.

Ethical Considerations: In this research, honesty and trustworthiness have been observed in the use of historical sources.

Results: This article looks exclusively at the therapeutic procedures prescribed by Islamic physicians, showing how medical illustrations and discussions of clinical treatment methods in literary works reflect their authors’ substantial familiarity with medicine.

Conclusion: The results of this study show that by depicting the scientific prescription, the prescriptions of doctors and treatment methods have made their way into the literature, have been removed from the circle of theoretical and practical medicine and have been found and published in the context of the illustrated prescription.

Reflection of drug Addiction in the Poetry of Safavid Poets

hadi bayati, mohsen rostami

Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History, Vol. 16 (1403), 7 May 2024, Page 1-18
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.40950

Background and Aim: Before the Safavid era, the use of substances such as opium as a medicine was common. But in this era, all kinds of drugs for pleasure spread and different classes of people, soldiors, ministers and even the king himself turned to it and tried to use them to advance their political goals. So that it’s improper use, the society was caught in a problem called addiction. The literature of this period was not far from the effects of addiction and it was clearly reflected in the poets' poems. Accordingly, the present study seeks to address the issue of addiction through the lens of poetry of Safavid poets and to answer the question that from the poets' point of view, how did drug addiction spread and what was their reaction as a group of intellectuals in society to this issue?

Methods: This research is descriptive-analytical and the method of collecting data is library and historical research.

Ethical Considerations: In this research, the ethical aspects of library study, including the authenticity of texts, honesty and trustworthiness have been observed.

Results: The findings indicate that people turned to drugs with the intention of stimulating taste, pleasure, sadness and happiness, stimulation of sexual desire and therapeutic use. But due to its destructive effects, they wanted to quit and while condemning the use of such substances, they also suggested gradual quitting them.

Conclusion: In the poets’ works of the Safavid period, types of drugs were mentioned 85 times. Opium and tobacco are the most used and poppy and hemp are the least used. Many examples of terms related to drugs, how to prepare and use these drugs, condemning the sufferers and presenting various suggestions to get rid of addiction, in the poets’ poems of this period indicate the prevalence of drugs in those days.

Memorial Article


Background and Aim: Pasteur Institute of Iran, as one of the oldest research and treatment centers in the country, plays an important role in controlling infectious diseases in Iran and the world. Dr. Sakineh Dora al-Sadat Tabatabaie Shahab (1914-2001), physician and specialist in laboratory science, was a prominent researcher at the institute who mainly focused on tuberculosis and other Infectious diseases. This article aims to highlight the services of this great Iranian scientist.

Methods: Information about Dr.Tabatabaei Shahab and her activities in Pasteur Institute of Iran were collected from various sources including documents, articles and interviews with knowledgeable people.

Ethical Considerations: In all stages of the research, the principles of honesty and trustworthiness have been fully observed.

Results: This article reviews the life and valuable activities of Dr.Tabatabai Shahab in the field of tuberculosis by studying the available documents. Her continuous and unrelenting efforts and valuable services in Iran and the world are clearly evident during his life.

Conclusion: Dr.Tabatabai Shahab achieved significant scientific honors not only in Iran but also in the international scene. Her precious services in Pasteur Institute of Iran will be a light for researchers, especially women, in serving the human society.