Medical and Scientific Advancement during Ancient Persia

Persia which was officially renamed Iran in 1949, was founded by Cyrus II. The early Persians were among some of the earliest Aryan tribes that settled in the Iranian plateau around the 1700BC. Their leader Cyrus II allied with the Medes tribes and over the years the empire under his rule extended from Egypt to the Punjab and Samarkand making it one of the largest empires in the world until the conquests of Alexander the great. The medical history of Persia includes the study of the human anatomy. Science, medicine, and technology in medieval Persia covered major branches of the human knowledge and activity seeing as this was labeled as the cradle of science in this ancient time. Scientists in Persia made major contributions to the current understanding of topics such as mathematics, medicine, nature and philosophy (Noori, 2007). Important discoveries such as the wind power machine, and alcohol distillation were also invented in ancient Persia. There is more evidence that indicates the practice of human dissection was a common place occurrence in the 10th century, a move that led to the discipline of surgery in the subsequent years. It was home to some of the first Universities and Libraries in the world. Science in ancient Persia evolved in two main phases that were separated by the arrival and adoption of Islamic religion and customs in the region. Many of the present concepts such as the Helio Centric model of the solar system as well as concepts of gravity can be traced to ancient Persian scientists. This papers will explore in order to help us understand the contributions made by scientists during this era and how this development and progress has changed from ancient times till present ( Pourahmad , 2008).

The medical and scientific history of ancient Persia shows three kinds of medicines in this era; medicine by knife, medicine by herbs, and medicine by divine wording. According to Vendidad, one of the few surviving books of the Zend-Avesta, notes that the best medicine was that which used divine words since it healed the very source of the disease. Following the Islamic conquest of Persia, this knowledge was spread all over the region and their roots were traced back to ancient Persia. By the 19 th century Persia had made significant steps in modernizing their academic contact with the west and they embraced more anatomical styles with influences from the china, India, Europe and America. The first cosmopolitan university and hospital ere set up in Gondishapur, south west of Persia in the 3 rd century AD ( Ghavidel , 2008). 

The establishment of the teaching hospital in ancient Persia has been credited with the concept of the hospital system. Physicians during this era were required to heal three patients who practiced the Divyasnan religion. Failure to heal any of these patients had the physicians being refused to practice medicine anymore. The idea behind this seemingly discriminate trend was to teach healers how to heal not only their family, but also their adversaries. They were required to practice healing first before any feelings they held towards the patients before them. It is also important to note that the fee of the physician was determined by the income of the patient . The invasion by the Arabs to Persia led to the destruction of many schools and libraries as well a vast number of texts, but the science knowledge and inventions were eventually revived and the texts were translated into Arabic to avoid further destruction ( Ghavidel , 2008). .

Ancient Persia had divided physicians into five categories, first, the health physicians was placed in charge of the well-being of the city and they were required to prevent the spread of infections by keeping the four sacred elements that included water, air, earth, and fire pure. They were also to ensure that the homes around their regions were maintained in the right standards of sanitation. The second classification was the medical examiner who is similar to present day coroners or pathologists. The duties assigned to them were examining dead bodies to determine the cause of death. They were also expected to issue death certificates and burial licenses a task that is held to date ( Ghavidel , 2008). 

The third physician classification is the surgeon; the procedures made during this era were dangerous and difficult with many of the patients dying due to lack of proper equipment and medication to knock out patients during the procedures. Over the years the procedures were improved and the surgeons were better prepared and equipped. Herbalists were also part of the ancient physicians. The use of herbs for treatment predates the agricultural development in ancient Persia and it is believed that Persians were among the first population to document properties of herbs and use them for healing, prevention and treatment purposes. Treatment involving herbs continues to be held today with the development of supplements and diets to counter various ailments ( Pourahmad , 2008).

Lastly, psychiatrists were also present during this era and they used holy words and prayers to cure patients whose sickness was that of the body and soul that could not be cured with herbs. This was regarded as the purest and strongest form of healing by patients. The treatment involved reading of poems, listening to music, reciting prayers, all with the aim of consoling the patient and reliving whatever was ailing them. Treatment in ancient Persia showed evidence of consultation where one physician referred patients to another whom they felt could be of better benefit to their particular suffering. It was a sin to refer to a physician from a foreign land when there was one from Persia on hand with similar skills (Noori, 2007).

During this time, surgery and mental health was carried out in Persia. The first cranial surgery was performed in the 3 rd B in the south eastern region of Iran. A skull found by archaeologists of a 13 year old female showed signs of hydrocephalus indicated that she had undergone some form of cranial surgery to take out part of the skull bone. Evidence also suggests that the patient lived at least six months after the procedure was performed. Documentation has also shown that physicians listed clinical information on the treatment of headaches, symptoms, prevention techniques, hygiene, and important dietary rules for the patients and the general public. The writings discovered were precise and covered a host of topic with regard to mental health and surgeries performed by physicians. Many of the approaches used by healers and physicians in ancient Persia are accepted in modern times. Various mental conditions such as tremors, mania, epilepsy, stroke, vertigo and other disorders were first diagnosed in ancient Persia (Noori, 2007).

Another area of medical science practiced in ancient Persia was obstetrics and gynecology. During this era, caesarean section was performed by administering a special wine agent which was used as an anesthetic. The agent was prepared by a priest and it was used to render the patient unconscious during the operation. Documentation of Shahnama illustrates, although in mainly mythical ideals, showed the workings of anesthesia in ancient Persia (Noori, 2007).

Similarly, medicinal herbs were part and parcel of medicinal science and practices. Some of the earliest records of ancient Iranian/ Persia can be found in the Avesta and other religious texts. Persians had a deep respect for the four elements of nature. It was an abomination to bathe or wash any dirty objects in flowing water, as was urinating and spitting. It was a sin to burn odorous elements. Frankincense and wild rue was burnt inside of homes and other public places to kill insects and bacteria. This practice is still maintained in present times ( Pourahmad , 2008).

The Avestan texts showed the discovery of medicinal value in the plants and herbs they consumed. Some of these herbs are used in present modern times for the same treatments and prevention tactics employed in ancient Persia. Garlic was used to reduce blood pressure, prevent and combat heart conditions, and treat infections. Rue was used as a remedy for easing shaking fits and joint pains; an extract from cannabis indica seeds was used as an anesthetic. Healers used a variety of herbs including chicory, basil, and peppermint among other plants ( Pourahmad , 2008).

Ancient Persian physicians were not only focused on administering medication to their patients, they were also keen having the public maintain good health. They believed that good health was the result of having a balance of humor in their lives. They insisted that cure for the body requires the individual to exercise good diet and refrain from sin. Modern day physicians have established wellness clinics where the public is asked to constantly have their vital checked as a way of detecting any underlying issues and find the right treatments before the situation escalates ( Ghavidel , 2008). 

Ancient Persia did not limit their inventions to the medical front. Several advancements were made during this era. One such invention was the Qanat which is a water management system used for irrigation. The system was first used in Persia. The largest known Qanat is located in present day Iran in the city of Gonabad which still serves drinking and irrigation water to over 40,000 people, 2700 years after its establishment ( Behrouz, Ourmazdi & Reza'I, 2008). 

Wind wheels which were used to pump water for irrigation was developed by the Babylonian in 1700BC. Persian engineers after the realization of this invention, improved on it by creating a more powerful machine. The advanced wind power machine is what is known as the wind mill ( Behrouz, Ourmazdi & Reza'I, 2008). 

Persian philosophers and inventors have been credited with the creation of batteries. The creation is said to have taken place during the Parthian and Sassanid era and they are at times referred to as the Baghdad batteries. It has been suggested that the batteries were used for medical purposes. It is also believed that the batteries were used for electroplating which is the transfer of a thin metal layer to another metal surface. This practice is till help to date and it is a common experiment in physics classes all over the world ( Hajiabadi , 2011) .

Mathematics and the development of algorithms in the 12 th century have been credited to Muhammad Ibn Musa al Khwarazmi. He is credited with coming up with the logarithm table which was developed under arithmetic systems based on Persian and Indian systems. The writings and equations had immense influence on the development of mathematical and other related equations all over the world. There were several Persian scientists who provided various inventions and fine-tuned previously discoveries. A great example is the Banu Musa brothers whose book of ingenious device, published in 850 showed various illustrations on mechanical devices that showed tricks and puzzles many of which have been fine-tuned over the years to provided education and entertainment for the public ( Hajiabadi , 2011) 

Travelers and explorers in ancient times were known to use the solar system as a guide for checking the time and direction. In 1000 AD Biruni wrote an array of astronomical accounts suggesting that the earth rotated around the sun. After his writings, came another Persian astronomer Abdi Rahman al Sufi who spent his time gazing into the stars overhead and made several recordings of our galaxy. Astronomer Tycho Brahe in his drawings of the first maps of the sky based his knowledge on the writings of ancient Persian and Indian astronomers. Astronomy was used to explain matters like the calculation of eclipses, determining the circumference of the earth, understanding gravity, and the discovery the number of the planets under our solar system ( Hajiabadi , 2011) 

Unlike Darwin, Persian biologist Tusi understood and argued that the human body was made of matter that could change but it was not able to completely disappear. The reason for this argument was that the body only changed its color, compositions and other properties but it was not able to disappear. This theory was held 500 years later with scientists Lomonosov (1711-1765) and Lavoisier (1743-1794) creating the law of conservation of mass. Tusi did not provide any empirical data to support his arguments but subsequent scientists used his thoughts and ideas to further justify his theories ( Behrouz, Ourmazdi & Reza'I, 2008). 

In conclusion, the rich history of Persia has significantly contributed to the present knowledge we have on the human anatomy. The development and interactions with various cultures during the Arab invasion and subsequent invasions have had great influences on the development of anatomical studies from ancient times to present. Persian scholars have been credited with seeking various ways to improve the care of patients and many of these practices continue to be held by physicians today. Studies and research was conducted by animal dissections as well as evaluating human corpse with the aim of further understanding the human anatomy. The scholars although following a religious approach did not let this hinder their thinking. They choose to have a liberal approach to the discovery and improvement s they made on previous works. Such approaches guaranteed that they would have openness and the possibility of making other conclusions as they went about their studies. While the past centuries have had influences of medicine, astronomy, and technology being concerted in the West, much of the discoveries in ancient cultures came from the East in present day Iran.

References

Behrouz, R, Ourmazdi, M & Reza'I, P. (2008). Iran the Cradle of Science. Retrieved from http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/Science/iran_sience.htm 

Ghavidel , H. (2008, Jan 28). The History of Medicine in Ancient Persia . Press TV . Retrieved from http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1961593/posts 

Hajiabadi , M. (2011, March 5). Persia Cradle of Science, Technology. Iran Review. Retrieved from http://www.iranreview.org/content/Documents/Persia_Cradle_of_Science_Technology.htm 

Pourahmad , J. (2008). History of Medical Sciences in Iran. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 7(2), 93-99. Retrieved from http://ijpr.sbmu.ac.ir/article_750_7.html 

Noori, A. (2007, May 3). Culture of Iran: The Medical Sciences in the Avesta. Iran Chamber Society. Retrieved from http://www.iranchamber.com/culture/articles/medical_sciences_avesta.php