Spanish Flu in Tehran from 1918 to 1920.

The Spanish flu spread from September 23, 1918 to 1920. This disease was one of the historical catastrophes in Iran, and a large number of people in Tehran were infected. Evidence also shows that 5000-10000 out of the 250000 infected people died in Tehran over three years. Besides, an increase was detected in the prevalence of other diseases such as pericarditis, orchitis, mastoiditis, meningitis, optic neuritis, paralysis of the palate, mania, cholera, and dysentery. Overall, five percent of the city were destroyed, and the population and economic development were severely damaged. This study aims to evaluate the importance of the history of local medicine in Tehran, the spread of Spanish flu, World War I, and presence of Russian, Ottoman, and British troops in Iran during the flu outbreak. The critical role of Britain in artificial famine, malnutrition, and drug embargo was assessed, as well.

Typhus Disease in Iran during the Qajar Period (1725 to 1925 AD); a Brief Historical Review.

Typhus is an acute febrile disease caused by a series of bacteria called Rickettsia that is transmitted by insects such as lice, fleas, and ticks. This disease has appeared several times in Iran and caused many casualties. There were some therapeutic measures taken by European physicians in Tehran and medical graduates of the Dar al-Fonun school or expatriates who had studied medical courses in Western countries, even though the taken steps were not enough. Due to the lack of sanitation and cleaning products after the outbreak of World War I in March 1917 and its synchronization with the swift outbreak of Typhus in 1918, heavy casualties followed. In this study, we first examine the prevalence of Typhus in the Qajar dynasty in Iran, and will then focus on the pathological importance of this disease history in Iran. After that, we will study the role of Typhus prevalence and World War I in the Persian famine, malnutrition, and food poverty. Moreover, we investigated the role that this great war had in strengthening the spread of this disease and its role in the death of many Iranian people.

Spanish Flu and the End of World War I in Southern Iran from 1917-1920.

The Spanish Flu was one of the disasters in the history of Iran, especially Southern Iran, which led to the death of a significant number of people in Iran. It started on October 29, 1917, and lasted till 1920 - a disaster that we can claim changed the history. In one of the First World War battlefields in southern Iran in 1918, there was nothing left until the end of World War I and when the battle between Iranian warriors (especially people of Dashtestan and Tangestan in Bushehr, Arabs, and people of Bakhtiari in Khuzestan and people of Kazerun and Qashqai in Fars) and British forces had reached its peak. As each second encouraged the triumph for the Iranians, a flu outbreak among Iranian warriors led to many deaths and, as a result, military withdrawal. The flu outbreak in Kazerun, Firoozabad, Farshband, Abadeh, and even in Shiraz changed the end of the war. In this article, we attempt to discuss the role of the Spanish flu outbreak at the end of one of the forefronts of World War I.

Contagious Diseases and its Consequences in the Late Qajar Period Mashhad (1892-1921).

One of the historical periods of Iran that can be studied for contagious diseases and how they spread, is the late Qajar period. The city of Mashhad, after Tehran and Tabriz, had a special place among Russian and English governments in the Qajar period as one of the significant religious, political and economic centers in Iran due to Imam Reza's holy shrine, a large population and great geographical scale. The central governments' incompetence in preventing the outbreak of contagious diseases and lack of essential amenities, caused many lives to be lost all over Iran and especially Mashhad during the Qajar period. Hence, the neighbor governments such as Russia, ordered for quarantines to be set up at the borders and dispatched doctors to stop diseases' from reaching Russian lands. However, these attempts did not prevent the deaths of people in the border areas, especially in Mashhad, from diseases such as cholera, plague, smallpox, typhus, flu and other diseases. In this study, we investigate and explain the subjects: disease outbreaks, the problem of commerce, quarantine and its outcomes at the end of Qajar period, between the years 1892 and 1921 AD in Mashhad, with the help of historical and documentary sources using an analytical and medical historiography method.

Ibn Mandevaih Isfahani (949-983(?) AD), a physician from Isfahan's medical school.

There have arisen a number of prominent Iranian-Islamic physicians throughout the history of the fertile medicine landscape of Iran, some of whom are not very well known. Abu Ali Ahmad ibn Abd al-Rahman Mandevaih Isfahani (949-983(?) AD) was a great medical figure with scientific activities in the Hospital of Isfahan and al-Adudi Hospital of Baghdad in the golden age of Iranian-Islamic history, culture, and civilization during the reign of the Buyid dynasty and Abbasid Caliphate. He was also a prominent physician during the reign of Adud al-Dawla Deylami (949-983 AD). This present research has as its objectives the studying of the scientific life of ibn Mandevaih Isfahani and his works in this field. The works of this scientist and scholar reflect his skill and expertise in literature, philosophy, medicine, and medicine-related fields including ophthalmology and pharmacology.

Mirza Ali Hamedani: An Influential Physician in the Qajar Period, Iran.

The knowledge of medicine underwent a revolution in the Qajar period, especially during the reign of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (1831-1896 AD). The dispatch of students to Europe, establishment of Dar ul-Funun, Hafez al-Seheh Assembly, and clinics, entrance of European teachers and physicians to Iran, approval of medical rules by the parliament, introduction of a new therapeutic style, and translation of medical textbooks into Persian were some of the changes that occurred during this period. As a result, modern medicine influenced the Iranian-Islamic traditional medicine. An educated Iranian physician, Mirza Ali Doctor Hamedani was one of the physicians of this period, who traveled to France, studied the European medicine and considerably contributed to the evolution of the modern medicine along the traditional medicine. The present manuscript describes the scientific personality and contributions of this physician to the science of medicine.

Kheyr-on-Nessa Amoli, An Iranian Lady Physician in the Gurkani Court of India.

The popularity of the science of medicine in the Gurkani Court of India relied on the presence and scientific work of Iranian scholars. Iranian women, like men, enjoyed this area of science and were also actively involved in social issues. The remarkable participation of Iranian female physicians in some medical fields, such as issues and care in pregnancy, child-bearing, and baby care, is among their scientific contributions to the changes and growing trends in medicine. These affairs were monopolized by women who held this knowledge for centuries. One of the women who was considerably successful in this field was Zat-on-Nessa Amoli, titled Kheyr-on-Nessa, a seventeenth-century female Iranian physician. This research aimed to study the contributions and scientific life of this poet and Iranian physician based on historical documents and texts, considering the research on the science and knowledge of medicine.

Chorasmia Medical School from the beginning until the Mongol invasion.

In research on the history of medicine, less attention is paid to the subject of historical geography. Considering the importance of this subject in the history of science, this paper discusses one of the most important science centers in the world. This outstanding medical research center was located in Gorganch city, Chorasmia area, in the Eastern part of the Islamic. Chorasmia medical school was one of the important Iranian medical schools before the Mongols' attack. Its history (305-1231 A.D.) can be divided into three eras; Ale Iraq, Ale Ma'mun, and era of the Khwarazmian dynasty. This geographical area in the Northeast of Iran has escaped the notice of researchers in recent studies. The presence of great Persian physicians and scientists throughout history in this area indicates its scientific importance. The present article focuses on Chorasmia Medical School since its establishment until the Mongols' attack.