The Canon Of Medicine Summary

Document 5 states, “When Europeans learned that Muslims had preserved important medical texts, they wanted to translate the texts into Latin… Throughout this process, European medical schools gained access to vital reference sources...” Muslims preserved medical texts; this created a basis of a foundation of modern day medicine. The preservation of medicine allowed for other people to better it; resulting in advanced cures for different diseases. This advancement benefited others, European schools, in their development.

The Greeks went even further, introducing the concepts of medical diagnosis, prognosis, and advanced medical ethics. The Hippocratic Oath, still taken by doctors up to today, was written in Greece in the 5th century BCE. The germ theory of disease in the 19th century led to cures for many infectious diseases. Public health measures were developed especially in the 19th century as the rapid growth of cities required systematic sanitary measures. Advanced research centers opened in the early 20th century, mid-20th century was characterized by new biological treatments, such as antibiotics. These advancements, along with developments in chemistry, genetics, and lab technology led to modern medicine. Medicine was heavily professionalized in the 20th century, and new careers opened to women as nurses and as physicians. The 21st century is characterized by highly advanced research involving numerous fields of science.

We find that the “oldest written sources of western medicine are The Hippocratic writings from the 5th and 4th centuries BC; which covers all aspects of medicine at that time and contain numerous medical terms.”(Wulff) This was the beginning of the Greek era of the language of medicine, which lasted even after the Roman

The logic and principles of medieval medicine shaped those of Modern medicine. Never was there a more efficient method perfected, so much that it remained through history through so many hundreds of years. Today’s concepts of diagnosis, relationships with the church, anatomy, surgery, hospitals and training, and public health were established in the Middle Ages.

Medieval medicine was rooted in Ancient Greek practices. In 65 A.D., a Greek writer, Discorides, wrote a book, Material Medica. The book is about medical use of over five-hundred different plants. The book is translated into Hebrew and Arabic. Doctors in the Early Modern Era knew very little, and they used plants as the most important care and/or treatment. Due to unsanitary places and tools, many different diseases spread around Europe. Life was challenging during the Early Modern Era because of many diseases(Alchin). During the 1500s- 1600s, diseases overtook many people because doctors knew little, medicine was unknown, and there were many causes.

In the meantime, he invented quite a quantity of surgical instruments, a lot of which are still in use, such as the syringe, forceps and bone saw. He also introduced the use of catgut, thread made from animal intestines, which was ideal for internal stitchings as it could be absorbed in the body. 'the Canon of Medicine' set the standards for medicine for both the Islamic and Western worlds and was a standard textbook of medicine in Europe for more than 500 years. So progressive are the contents that some of its principles taught in universities today. It is evident that 'Canon of Medicine' was an advanced book for its time (primary source) Ibn-Sina also influenced the public’s health by stressing the importance of hygiene and a healthy

The Changes In Medicine In The Nineteenth Century The nineteenth century was one of the most important eras in the history of medicine as many new cures and technologies were discovered. At the beginning, many poor people still lived in houses without proper sanitation, worked in dangerous factories and drank water from polluted rivers. By the end of the century, social conditions had improved, medicine was more complex, treatments were more widely offered and technology was more advanced along with many other improvements. But why did these changes occur?

In the translation of the Islamic medical book, World History: Patterns of Interaction, the excerpt provided displays the large extent to which Muslims knew of medical procedures and diseases. “European medical schools gained access to vital reference sources such as al-Razi’s Comprehensive Book and Ibn Sina’s The Canon of Medicine. Ibn Sina’s five-volume encyclopedia guided doctors of Europe and Southwest Asia for six centuries” (Doc 3). This quote explains the large amount of credible sources Muslims utilized in order to obtain their medical knowledge. Unfortunately, other cultures did not have these resources, making Muslim contributions some of the best in the world. As mentioned in the first example, World History: Patterns of Interaction, includes numerical data pertaining to medical tools and procedures. “For nearly 500 years, al Qasim’s work, The Method, which contained original drawings of some 200 medical tools, was the foremost textbook on surgery in Europe” (Doc 3). With all the knowledge of medical procedures and tools, the Islamic culture by default was the most medically advanced in the world. Also, Islam’s contributions to world culture caused western civilization to advance in medicine while simultaneously increasing the average life

The main theme of “Final Cut” by Atul Gawande is that medicine is an inexact science and doctors are not always sure of themselves, even if they appear confident. Gawande’s main argument is simply stated: there has been a decline in the amount of autopsies performed in the medical field as a result of medical arrogance; over confident doctors believe they know the cause of death and do not want to perform autopsies. Gawande illustrates his argument by outlining the history of autopsy use in medicine, incorporating medical cases that he has experienced as a surgeon, and including statistics on autopsy usage. “Final Cut” is an outstanding profile on the decline of autopsy use in medicine. What makes “Final Cut” an enjoyable and informative article for all readers is its use of strategies associated with fiction such as the establishment of characters, balance between medical information and personal experience, and its use of active voice.

The practice of medicine has been shaped through the years by advances in the area of diagnostic procedures. Many of these advances were made possible by scientific breakthroughs made before the 20th century. Modern medicine arguably emerged. Both normal and abnormal functions (physiology and pathology) were increasingly understood within smaller units, first the tissues and then the cells. Microscopy also played a key role in the development of bacteriology. Physicians started to use stethoscope as an aid in diagnosing certain diseases and conditions. New ways of diagnosing disease were developed, and surgery emerged as an important branch of medicine. Above all, a combination of science and technology underpinned medical knowledge and

The improvement of medicine over the course of the human successes gave great convenience to the people of today. Science has cured and prevented many illnesses from occurring and is on its way to cure some of the most dreadful and harmful illnesses. As the world modernizes due to the industrialization, so does the ways of medicine. Some cures are approached by chance, some, through intense, scientific measures.

Hippocrates is most commonly known as “the father of western medicine.” Because he lived so long ago, it is not exactly clear when he was born and when he died. The best estimates are that he was born around 460 BCE and died around 370 BCE. He lived during the Greek Golden Age, which had influence on his prosperity in medicine. It is believed that he was born on the Island of Cos, where he later taught medicine. During Hippocrates’ life, Cos was particularly famous for its medical school. He studied under his father, Heraclides, who was also a physician. It is believed that his Grandfather was a physician as well. Giving that both his father and grandfather were

Many ancient civilizations, such as the Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians, pushed medical knowledge forward until the Middle Ages, when medical knowledge was believed to have slowed down. However, that is not the case. The Middle Ages were a time of change and improvement, they shaped the modern world. The Middle Ages revolutionized medical practices, physicians linked filth to the spread of disease, many practical diagnoses and treatments for common illnesses were discovered, and medical training programs in universities became well established.

The complex structure and foreign nature of Tibetan medicine makes it difficult to relate its practices to Western medicine, making it difficult to determine the clinical efficacy of Eastern medical practice. Several clinical analysis studies have recently been performed in order to determine the efficacy of the “holistic” practices of Eastern cultures. Whether the studies show Eastern or Western practices to be more effective, I believe that the most effective treatment should be a combination of both practices.

The Muslims made much significant advancement in the medical field. The rulers of the Muslim Empire encouraged this research in the medical field. They wanted people who knew about diseases and medical procedures treating them were they were ill. This made the Muslims much more advanced and knowledgeable in medicine than other parts of the world. In fact, Muslim cities boasted some of the best hospitals in the world. One reason they were so efficient is that doctors and pharmacists were required to complete a specific course of study and pass a formal examination before being able o practice medicine. However, this knowledge was not exclusive to the Muslim Empire, but rather it was translated into Latin and was used in European schools. The spread of this knowledge made Europe significantly more knowledgeable regarding diseases and medical procedures than they were prior to them receiving this information. In addition to advancements in the medical field, other scientific advancements were made. The created the practice of the experiment as well as a method of classification into three distinct categories: animal, vegetable, or mineral.