Medieval Pharmacotherapy Continuity and Change: Case Studies from Ibn Sina and Some of His Late Medieval Commentarors: 38

The development of medical drug therapy in medieval times can be seen as an interplay between tradition and innovation. This book follows the changes in the therapy from the Arabic medicine of Ibn S n (Avicenna) to Latin medical scholasticism, aiming to trace both the continuity and the development in the theory and practice of medieval drug therapy. In this delicate balance between change and continuity a crucial role was played by the scientific community through critical rejection or acceptance of new ideas. The drug choices were in most cases rational also from the point of view of contemporary medical theory. The method used in the book for studying these choices could promote the development of a novel methodology for historical ethnopharmacology. CONTENTS 7 Acknowledgements 18 Chapter One. Introduction 22 1.1. Preliminary Remarks 22 1.2. Research Material 23 1.3. Research Method 25 Chapter Two. Historical Background 30 2.1. The Spread of Galenic Medical Tradition from the Greek Cultural Area to the Arabic and the Latin Cultural Areas 30 2.1.1. The Greek Beginnings 30 2.1.2. The Transfer from Greek to Arabic 34 2.1.3. The Transfer from Arabic to Latin 46 2.2. Galenic Medicine 57 2.2.1. Galenic Medicine as a Sociological Phenomenon 57 2.2.2. Galenic Medicine: Theory and Practice 60 2.2.2.1. Physiology 61 2.2.2.2. Health and Disease 66 2.2.2.3. Therapeutics 69 2.2.2.4. Galenic Medicine in the Kitatb al-Qanun of Ibn Sina 83 Chapter Three. Research Material 86 3.1. Ibn Sina and his Kitab al-Qanun 88 3.2. Ibn al-Nafis 96 3.3. Al-Jaghmini 100 3.4. Supracommentary on Qanunja 101 3.5. Gentile da Foligno 101 3.6. Jacques Despars 103 Chapter Four. Method of the Study 106 4.1. The Efficacy of Medieval Medicine 110 4.2. Suggested Methodology 120 Chapter Five. Nosebleed 148 5.1. Nosebleed in Kitab al-Qanun 149 5.1.1. General Presentation 149 5.1.2. Nosebleed: Causes 150 5.1.3. Nosebleed: Symptoms 152 5.1.4. Nosebleed: Consequences 153 5.1.5. Nosebleed: Treatment 155 5.1.5.1. Treatment, Theory 155 5.1.5.2. Physical Therapies 158 5.1.5.3. Treatment, Practice 160 5.1.5.4. Relationship between the Drugs Recommended for Treatment of Nosebleed and their Therapeutic Qualities 175 5.2. Nosebleed in the Arabic Commentaries 180 5.2.1. General Description 180 5.2.2. Causes of Nosebleed in the Arabic Commentaries 181 5.2.3. Symptoms of Nosebleed in the Arabic Commentaries 184 5.2.4. Consequences of Nosebleed in the Arabic Commentaries 186 5.2.5. Treatment of Nosebleed in the Arabic Commentaries 187 5.2.5.1. Treatment,?eory, in the Arabic Commentaries 187 5.2.5.2. Treatment, Practice, in the Arabic Commentaries 191 5.2.5.3. Relationship between the Choice of Simple Drugs and their Qualities 202 5.3. Nosebleed in the Latin Commentaries 204 5.3.1. General Description 204 5.3.2. Causes of Nosebleed in the Latin Commentaries 207 5.3.3. Symptoms of Nosebleed in the Latin Commentaries 214 5.3.4. Consequences of Nosebleed in the Latin Commentaries 216 5.3.5. Treatment of Nosebleed in the Latin Commentaries 220 5.3.5.1. Treatment, Theory, in the Latin Commentaries 220 5.3.5.2. Treatment, Practice, in the Latin Commentaries 223 5.3.5.3. Relationship between the Choice of Simple Drugs and their Qualities 230 5.4. Relationship between the Medical Efficacy of Drugs and their Popularity 232 Chapter Six. Cough 246 6.1. Cough in Kitab al-Qanun 247 6.1.1. General Presentation 247 6.1.2. Cough: Causes 248 6.1.3. Cough: Symptoms 249 6.1.4. Cough: Consequences 252 6.1.5. Cough: Treatment 252 6.1.5.1. Treatment,?eory 252 6.1.5.2. Physical?erapies 255 6.1.5.3. Treatment, Practice 256 6.1.5.4. Relationship between the Drugs Recommended for Treatment and their Therapeutic Qualities 275 6.2. Cough in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 277 6.2.1. General Description 277 6.2.2. Causes of Cough in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 277 6.2.3. Symptoms of Cough in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 277 6.2.4. Consequences of Cough in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 277 6.2.5. Treatment of Cough in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 278 6.2.5.1. Treatment, Theory, in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 278 6.2.5.2. Treatment, Practice, in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 283 6.2.5.3. Relationship between the Choice of Simple Drugs and their Qualities 293 6.3. Relationship between the Medical Efficacy of Drugs and their Popularity 295 Chapter Seven. Diabetes 304 7.1. Diabetes in Kitab al-Qanun 306 7.1.1. General Presentation 306 7.1.2. Diabetes: Causes 307 7.1.3. Diabetes: Symptoms 308 7.1.4. Diabetes: Consequences 310 7.1.5. Diabetes: Treatment 310 7.1.5.1. Treatment, Theory 310 7.1.5.2. Physical Therapies 312 7.1.5.3. Treatment, Practice 313 7.1.5.4. Relationship between the Drugs Recommended for Treatment and their therapeutic Qualities 320 7.2. Diabetes in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 323 7.2.1. General Description 323 7.2.2. Causes of Diabetes in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 323 7.2.3. Symptoms of Diabetes in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 323 7.2.4. Consequences of Diabetes in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 323 7.2.5. Treatment of Diabetes in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 324 7.2.5.1. Treatment, Theory, in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 324 7.2.5.2. Treatment, Practice, in the Arabic and Latin Commentaries 330 7.2.5.3. Relationship between the Choice of Simple Drugs and their Qualities 334 7.3. Relationship between the Medical Efficacy of Drugs and their Popularity 336 Chapter Eight. Conclusions 346 Appendixes 362 Appendix 1 362 Appendix 2 363 Appendix 3 372 Appendix 4 375 Appendix 5 378 Appendix 6 380 Appendix 7 384 Appendix 8 386 Appendix 9 388 Appendix 10 391 Appendix 11 393 Appendix 12 394 Appendix 13 395 Appendix 14 396 Appendix 15 399 Appendix 16 403 Appendix 17 405 Appendix 18 417 Appendix 19 442 Appendix 20 447 Appendix 21 451 Appendix 22 459 Appendix 23 468 Appendix 24 470 Appendix 25 484 Appendix 26 488 Appendix 27 493 Appendix 28 498 Appendix 29 504 Appendix 30 517 Appendix 31 519 Appendix 32 528 Appendix 33 531 Appendix 34 552 Appendix 35 586 Appendix 36 594 Appendix 37 598 Appendix 38 612 Appendix 39 623 Appendix 40 624 Appendix 41 632 Appendix 42 634 Appendix 43 637 Appendix 44 641 Appendix 45 643 Appendix 46 644 Appendix 47 645 Appendix 48 647 Appendix 49 649 Appendix 50 659 Appendix 51 678 Appendix 52 685 Appendix 53 687 Appendix 54 693 Glossaries 706 Glossary 1. Identifcation of Drugs Mentioned in the Texts 706 Glossary 2. Arabic Drug Names 730 Glossary 3. Medieval Latin Drug Names 734 Glossary 4. Scientific Names of Plants 740 Bibliography 744 General Index 784 Medical,Pharmacology,History,ancient,General,Pharmacy

The development of medical drug therapy in medieval times can be seen as an interplay between tradition and innovation. This book follows the changes in the therapy from the Arabic medicine of Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna) to Latin medical scholasticism, aiming to trace both the continuity and the development in the theory and practice of medieval drug therapy. In this delicate balance between change and continuity a crucial role was played by the scientific community through critical rejection or acceptance of new ideas. The drug choices were in most cases rational also from the point of view of contemporary medical theory. The method used in the book for studying these choices could promote the development of a novel methodology for historical ethnopharmacology.