The head-physician had an
apartment to himself wherein he delivered medical lectures. The number
of patients was unlimited, every sick or poor person who came found
admittance, nor was the duration of his stay restricted, and even those
who were sick at home were supplied with every necessity."--Makrizi.
"In later times this hospital was much extended and improved. The
nursing was admirable and no stint was made of drugs and appliances;
each patient was provided with means upon leaving so that he should
not require immediately to undertake heavy work." Neuburger: History of
Medicine, Vol. 1, p. 378.
It was in the domain of chemistry that the Arabs made the greatest
advances. You may remember that, in Egypt, chemistry had already made
considerable strides, and I alluded to Prof. Elliot Smith's view that
one of the great leaps in civilization was the discovery in the Nile
Valley of the metallurgy of copper. In the brilliant period of the
Ptolemies, both chemistry and pharmacology were studied, and it seems
not improbable that, when the Arabs took Alexandria in the year 640,
there were still many workers in these subjects.
The most famous of those early Arabic writers is the somewhat mythical
Geber, who lived in the first half of the eighth century, and whose
writings had an extraordinary influence throughout the Middle Ages.
Pages:
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156