Medieval Times' Influencing Figure Rhaze's Approach to Head Injuries in Liber Almansoris

Introducing and Studying the Materials and Methods of Anesthesia and Analgesia in Ancient Iran

In ancient Iran, humans have been looking for ways to anesthetize, control, and reduce pain to perform surgeries to treat diseases, which is evident in ancient scientists' medical and nonmedical works. Although modern anesthesia expanded with the introduction of ether into this process, this great success was achieved after years of suffering and with the efforts of scientists throughout history who have played an essential role in advancing this knowledge. In ancient Iran, may (wine) was one of the materials of anesthesia, as in the Avesta, and Minooye Kherad, the properties of wine as an anesthetic are mentioned. Marijuana and Haoma were also used as other substances. The creation of a "hypnotic sponge" in ancient times made general anesthesia and many surgical procedures possible in subsequent centuries. In the history of medicine in Iran, various terms such as Mokhadir (anesthetic), Monavim (sedative), Mosabbit (hypnotic), and Mosakkin (pain relief) have been used to control pain. The purpose of this research was to introduce and study the materials and methods of anesthesia and analgesia in ancient Iran. The results show that anesthesia owes its early progress in part to the works of early Iranian practitioners.

Rhazes' (865-925 CE) contribution to surgery in Liber Almansoris

BACKGROUND

Surgery has deep historical roots. Rhazes (865-925 CE), a Persian physician, made a significant contribution to the development of medical sciences in the medieval era. Liber Almansoris is one of his significant works on medicine. This book is a medical textbook for medical students. It covers every aspect of the medical sciences. This article discusses Rhazes' contribution to surgery, based on Liber Almansoris.

METHOD

This study examines Rhazes' contribution to surgery, based on his book, Liber Almansoris.

RESULTS

Rhazes's Liber Almansoris contains a chapter (seventh chapter) on orthopedics, which includes surgical approaches. This chapter also describes surgical procedures for traumas and skull fractures. In other chapters, he also recommends surgical options for treating certain complications when discussing different treatment methods.

DISCUSSION

Although Rhazes mentioned surgical procedures as a medical treatment method, he did not include a separate chapter on surgery. This strategy can be found in his other medical works, such as Liber Continens or Al-Hawi. It appears that Rhazes adheres to the Galenic (Greek) perspective on surgery. In this context, surgery is not an independent major but a method that a physician can employ as needed. It differs from an alternative approach in that era that adheres to ancient Persian perspectives, which identified surgery as a major like other medical sciences disciplines.

The history of antibiotic irrigation and prophylaxis in operative neurotrauma: perpetuation of military care in civilian settings

The benefit of antibiotic irrigation for prophylaxis against wound infections, not only for traumatic cranial injuries but also in elective neurosurgical care, has recently been called into question. Several articles have cast doubt on the utility of topical antibiotics, and recently, bacitracin irrigation was made unavailable in some US markets. The pervasive nature of antibiotic irrigation, considering the lack of evidence supporting its use, led the authors to question when and how neurosurgeons started using antibiotic irrigation in cranial neurosurgery. Through a review of historical literature, they highlight the adoption of antibiotic irrigation as it began in battlefield surgical practice, gradually leading to the modern concept of antibiotic prophylaxis in civilian and military care.

A Study on Head Wounds in Kitāb al-'Umda fī Ṣinā'a al-Jirāḥa by Ibn al-Quff

The aim of this study is to investigate the knowledge on head wounds contained in the Kitāb al-'Umda fī Ṣinā'a al-Jirāḥa, written by Ibn al-Quff in the thirteenth century. This study was based on a copy of the Kitāb al-'Umda fī Ṣinā'a al-Jirāḥa, printed in 2 volumes in Dā'ira al-Mā'ārif al-Uthmāniyya in Hyderabad in 1356/1937-38 and reprinted by the Institute for the History of Arabic-Islamic Science at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University. This printed copy was compared with the manuscript of İstanbul University Rare Works Library, Arabic Manuscripts, A 4749. Relevant chapters were translated from Arabic to English, after which they were thoroughly examined. Obtained knowledge is presented in the Results section and is compared in the Discussion section with other reports of this subject. The first chapter classified head wounds into 6 types: the first 3 types are conservatively treated and the remaining 3 types are surgically treated. This chapter also presents information on how to proceed when there is a head wound-related hemorrhage, which medications should be used, and which are the adequate treatment protocols. The second chapter discusses the symptoms and signs that follow head blow and fall injuries. The characteristics and noteworthy circumstances of skull fractures as well as the surgical treatment methods are included in the fifteenth chapter, which is concluded with surgery-related complications. The present study shows that Ibn al-Quff benefited from his predecessors' knowledge and made some considerable contributions to this subject.