Medieval Islamic Medicine Summary

Humanity has come to evolve and prosper with the aid of medicine. Medieval Islamic Medicine, written by Peter E. Pormann and Emilie Savage-Smith, portrays the causes and effects medicine has on a civilization. The authors focused on two main questions when creating their work: how did Islamic medicine develop and evolve during medieval times and what impact did the development of medieval Islamic medicine have on societies? The authors formulated their arguments around the purpose of the questions. Some problems addressed in the book involve the history of medicine during medieval Islam and the treatment methods of medicine. Also, the book discusses gender roles, the impact patients had on the development of medicine, and the shift from custom medicine, magic and herbs, to more of a modern day approach. Many aspects of medieval Islamic medicine, …show more content…
The significance of the work shows how physicians and time helped expand the medical knowledge that would later impact other societies. The work offers insight on aspects of medicine, such as translations and a written record system, that aided in the expansion of medical practices and theories. The book is an important source for anyone looking to date back the origin of certain practices. Also, in medicine, nothing is a definite answer. The book offers a range of medical practices and treatment methods on one disease in which physicians could sort out which method was best based on their patient. The book offers understandings of medical ethics, therefore establishing guidelines for medicine. In my opinion, the authors portrayed their arguments concisely and formulated appropriate evidence to support their claims. Although there were some weakness, overall the book can be viewed and used on an academic level. Islam and its people benefitted from the creation and progression of medieval Islamic