The middle ages contributions to cardiovascular medicine

Abstract The historical period called the Middle Ages, a long interval between the 5th and the 15th centuries, is still commonly known as the Dark Ages, especially in the area of health sciences. In the last decades, this "classic" view of the Middle Ages has been gradually modified with advances in historiographical studies and the history of science. During that period in Western Europe, knowledge about the human body suffered a regression in terms of anatomy and physiology, with the predominance of religious conceptions mainly about diseases and their treatments. Knowledge on the cardiovascular system and heart diseases has been classically described as a repetition of the concepts developed by Galen from the dissection of animals and his keen sense of observation. However, the Middle East, especially Persia, was the birth place of a lot of intellectuals who preserved the ancient knowledge of the Greeks while building new knowledge and practices, especially from the 8th to the 13th century. The invasion of the Arabs in North of Africa and the Iberian Peninsula and the eclosion of the Crusades resulted in a greater contact between the East and the West, which in turn brought on the arrival of the Arab medical knowledge, among others, to 12th century Europe. Such fact contributed to an extremely important change in the scientific medical knowledge in the West, leading to the incorporation of different concepts and practices in the field of cardiovascular Medicine. The new way of teaching and practicing Medicine of the great Arab doctors, together with the teaching hospitals and foundations in the Koran, transformed the Medicine practiced in Europe definitely. The objective of this paper is to describe the knowledge drawn up from the Middle Ages about the cardiovascular system, its understanding and therapeutic approach to cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons.

[The use of Arabic in the World Health Organization. Part two]

In part one of this paper we discussed the use of Arabic as an official and working language in the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office and WHO Headquarters. We reviewed the arrangements made to rationalize the Arabic activities in WHO, the development of an authentic Arabic version of the WHO constitution, the impact of WHO restructuring on the Arabic programme and the establishment of the Arab Centre for Medical Literature in Kuwait. In this part we address the developments in Arabic medical terminology, the establishment of the Regional Arabic Programme and the unified WHO Programme of Arabic publications, and last but not least, the production of the Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal in English, French and Arabic

Validation of the Arabic Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Development and Well-Being Assessment

We examined the validity of the Arabic versions of 2 main measures of child psychopathology: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ] and the Development and Well-Being Assessment [DAWBA]. They were administered to the parents and teachers of 2 samples of 5-12-year-old Yemeni children, one from psychiatric clinics [n = 87] and the other from the community [n = 100]. The SDQ scores distinguished well between the 2 samples and also between children with different psychiatric diagnoses. The DAWBA showed substantial agreement with independent clinic diagnosis. The brevity of the SDQ and the respondent-based nature of the DAWBA interview make these tools feasible for use in countries where there is a severe shortage of skilled manpower

[Medical practice with regard to physicians' mistakes and disease complications]

This study gives a historical background on regulations implemented by Islamic scholars to codify medical practice, and highlights the advance of science and technology in the modern era and the need for physicians [along with science and technology] to adhere to religious values. It discusses physicians' responsibilities, the issue of malpractice, and the difference between malpractice and complications. Recommendations are proposed to implement medical ethics in the curriculum of medical colleges around the Islamic world and to promote the role of medical religious committees in Islamic world as is being done in Saudi Arabia

Patterns of belief and use of traditional remedies by diabetic patients in Mecca, Saudi Arabia

A sample of 1039 diabetic patients in Saudi Arabia was interviewed using a structured questionnaire about belief in traditional herbal remedies. The relationship of belief scores to sociodemographic and diabetes-related variables was assessed using chi-square tests. The study showed that 15.6% of the sample believed that traditional medicines were safe and effective and 25.8% that they might be beneficial. One-third of patients were using traditional remedies. A statistically significant relationship was shown between belief in traditional medicines and variables such as female sex, positive family history of diabetes, duration of diabetes and compliance with diet. However, there was no relationship with other compliance variables or with glucose and weight control. Efforts should be made to enhance diabetic education among patients on the basis of evidence-based practice

Traditional healers in the Qazvin region of the Islamic Republic of Iran: a qualitative study

We identified and categorized by method of therapy 15 traditional healers in the recorded by actual patients or by observers simulating a medical condition. The treatment practices of the 15 healers [8 men and 7 women] included herbal remedies [four], bone-setting [five], traditional methods for the treatment of sore throat [two], massage therapy using plant oils [one], cupping [two], and leech therapy [one]. Despite an adequate number of physicians practising in the region, traditional healers continue to be consulted. We recommend that the efficacy of their treatments be further studied and that they be encouraged to contribute positively to the broader health objectives of Iranian society

[Arabic medical literature in the nineteenth century]

The first Arabic medical publication was a book on smallpox written by a French author, translated by a Syrian translator and printed in Cairo around the year 1800. A few years later in 1827, a medical school, teaching in Arabic, was opened in Cairo, followed by a similar medical school in Beirut in 1867. The two schools triggered the production of a host of Arabic textbooks, dictionaries and medical journals. Despite the lack of available information, this paper endeavours to review the Arabic medical literature that appeared at the time of these two pioneer schools in the nineteenth century

[Review of the history of the teaching of medicine in Arabic]

This paper reviews the history of using Arabic as a working language in the development of medical sciences and education since the Arab-Islamic civilization took over the heritage of the Greek civilization and replaced it in the track of piomeer human civilizations. The paper also discusses the subsequent developments in teaching medical sciences in the Arab world up till now