Global Journal of Medical Research, K: Interdisciplinary, Volume 22 Issue 1

Medieval Arabic theoretical anatomy, based on the knowledge of ancient Greek philosopher-doctors, describes organs, their functions, and functioning, their relationship with each other on a philosophical basis, where there are organs with nobler and subjugated roles. According to Ibn S ī n ā (Ab ū ʿ Al ī al- Ḥ usayn b. ʿ Al ī ) (Avicenna) (370-428 AH/980-1037 AD), everything in nature is connected with everything, and the leading operator of the body is the immortal divine soul, ar-r ūḥ . In the process of breathing, a part of the divine soul enters the lungs and then, being mixed with blood, the heart as well, in which the 'pneuma' 3 According to Ibn S ī n ā , the heart has three cavities: one on the right side, one on the left side, and one in the middle, which serves as a kind of blood store. ( wa-f ī hi ṯ al āṯ a bu ṭū n ba ṭ n ā n ka ṯī r ā n wa-ba ṭ nun kal- was ṭ i is formed, which is channeled by the arteries throughout the body. The soul part of the inhaled air ( al-haw āʼ ) regulates the heart’s heat and nourishes it. ( wa-manfa ʻ at há ḏā al-haw āʼ al- mu ʻ idd ʼ an yu ʻ addila bir ūḥ ihi ḥ ar ā rat al-qalb ī , wa- ʼ an yamudda ar-r ūḥ a bil- ǧ awharihi alla ḏī huwa ʼ a ġ labu f ī miz āǧ ihi min ġ ayri ʼ an yak ū na al-haw āʼ u wa ḥ datan amm ā al-m āʼ u fal- ġ i ḏāʼ u al-badani wa-amm ā al-haw āʼ u fal- ġ i ḏāʼ u ar-r ūḥ i. wa-kulli w āḥ id min ġ i ḏāʼ i-l-badani wa-r-r ūḥ i ǧ ismun murakkabun l ā bas īṭ un .) (The task of this prepared air is to regulate the heat of the heart with the immortal divine soul within it, and to transmit to the divine soul its essence, which is the most definitive part of its constitution ( miz āǧ ), without the air being composed of a single component, but just as water is the substance nourishing the body, so air is the food of the divine soul. Each food of the body and soul is a complex substance and not simple.) (Ibn S ī n ā , 1987: Volume 2/Book 3/1122.) 4 Well, even if Ibn S ī n ā had dissected the heart himself, it would have been difficult for him to refute the unquestionable claim of Aristotle since antiquity that the , liyak ū na lahu mustawda ʻ u ġ i ḏāʼ in ya ġ ta ḏī bihi ka ṯī fun qaw ī yyun yuš ā kilu ǧ awharahu wa-ma ʻ dinu r ūḥ i yatawalladu f ī hi ʻ an dami la ṭī fi. )(There are three cavities in it, two large and one that seems to be in the middle, to store the food with which to nourish the heart. This food is dense and strong, resembling the essence of the heart. In the heart is the source of the divine soul, which is born in it from the fine blood here.) (Ibn S ī n ā , 1987: Volume 2/Book 3/1195.) heart has three cavities . 5 For a long time, the science of bodies, i.e. medicine, was practiced only by Jews and Christians, with Muslims relying on the latter’s expertise. This is because Islamic law forbade the mutilation of Muslims’ bodies, the breaking of their bones, and the cutting of their bodies before and after death, all of which were allowed for those of other religions. However, it has been recognized that knowledge of anatomy is essential for surgeons ( al- ǧ ar āʼ i ḥī y ū n ), phlebotomists ( al-fa ṣṣā d ū n ) and cuppers ( al- ḥ a ǧǧā m ū n ), After all, the atria consist not only of those two ears, which are well visible from the outside at the base of the heart; but also of the two small cavities (atria) below them. The smooth-walled lower part of the atria was probably still considered part of the ventricles, and the upper uneven-walled ears of the atria were the natural atria at the time. The smooth lower part of the atriums may be the "middle cavity," the third ventricle. According to Islam, dissection of the human body in the Middle Ages was not condemned or forbidden, at least as far as the autopsy of the bodies of non-Muslims is concerned. The Muslim principle, derived from the Prophet’s hadith, reads: "There are three pillars of knowledge that can be acquired: the authentic recitation of verses from the Qur'an, the study of sayings and traditions attributed to the Prophet Mu ḥ ammad (called ḥ ad īṯ ), and the knowledge of customary practices of the very early Muslim community (called sunna ). Everything else that is outside of them is extra to study," and in the Middle Ages, it was modified to say (related that the Prophet said) that there are two forms of science: the science of bodies and the science of religions. (E. Savage-Smith 1995:69-73) 6 In the 9th century, the Arabs began translating ancient Greek medical manuscripts, including the anatomical works of Aristotle and Galen, based on autopsies, which provided the basis for Arab doctors to as they can only do their job well by knowing the exact location of the muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. The dissection of the body alone can only give the performer of autopsy as much knowledge as for the butcher, so it is also essential to acquire prior anatomical knowledge. (E. Savage-Smith 1995: 82-90) 8 Year 2022 Global Journal of Medical Research Volume XXII Issue I Version I ( D ) K © 2022 Global Journals Basics of the Medieval Arabic Medicine: The Vascular Systems in the Canon of Medicine of Avicenna Incorporating a Translation of a Part of the First Book 3 Pneuma also plays a central role in medieval Arabic physiology and philosophy. There are three types of pneuma ( r ūḥ ) that are related to the faculties (forces) that control the body. Within the three main forces, there are several smaller forces in the body. The three main forces are the brain-centered mind faculties al-quw ā an-nafs ā niyya , the liver-centered natural faculties ( al-quw ā a ṭ - ṭ ab īʻ iyya ) and the heart- centered (animate) faculties ( al-quw ā al- ḥ ayaw ā niyya ). The latter provide the life and cause the heart to contract and relax. (Ullmann 1978: 61) 4 The termmay refer to a medium-sized ventricle also without indicating its exact location. 5 During the autopsy of the animals, Diocles identified the two ventricles and the two atria in the heart, but did not dare to oppose the prevailing medical opinion of the age and Aristotle himself, so his discovery remained obscure. (Longrigg 1993: 71) 6 The ḥ isba manuals sharply distinguish between doctors and surgeons. Members of the two groups had to take examinations in different subjects before the market inspector ( ḥā sib ). The task of the market inspector or moral inspector was, among other things, to examine doctors. Phlebotomists and cuppers didnot count as doctors, but only as specialists in cupping and vascular cutting. Their prestige was much lower than that of surgeons and bone adjusters: their activities somewhat overlapped those of barbers. (Ormos 1996: 32) Al- B ī r ū n ī (Ab ū Ray ḥā n 362-440 AH / 973-1050 AD) counts phlebotomists as a separate group of doctors. (Ormos 1996: 35)