Traditional Medicine in Asia

Traditional Medicine in Asia
or drive for organs and functions; and
finally vital force – the metabolic energy for
the organization and differentiation of life.
These are hypotheses imported from the
physics and biology of Avicenna’s time and
thus deserve not ridicule but serious
consideration as helpful generalizations.
Avicenna’s mode of presentation gives
the impression of concepts being true for
all times. It is this impression which led his
successors to regard the pursuit of other
medical literature as superfluous and thus
acted as a deterrent to progress for several
centuries. It was, however, not the fault of
Avicenna that he presented it as such to
general practitioners and there is no
reason for us to avoid the dispassionate
examination of Al-Qanon for useful ideas.
The most frequently quoted surgeon
during the middle ages was Abul Qasim
Al-Zahrawi. His book, Al-Tasrif, was used
as a textbook until the beginning of the 17th
century. Hippocrates systemized the tibb
and gave it the status of ‘’Science’’. Galen
established its foundation on which the
Arab physicians constructed an imposing
edifice.
The greatest name in botany is Ibn-Al-
Baytar (1248 AD). His book, Al-Jami-Li
Mufaradat Al-Adviya Wa Al-Aghziyah,
contains all Greek and Arabic literature on
botany and Materia Medica.
The Unani physicians were also
advanced in midwifery and performed the
operation of “Cranio Clasty” for the
delivery of the dead foetus. Zahrawi’s book,
Al-Tasreef, is full of such examples. He was
the first to describe the Walcher’s position
in obstetrics.
The modern “Germ Therapy” is in fact
a reflection of the views of the Unani
physicians who realized the connection
between foul bodies and putrefaction. In
this connection, Avicenna has discussed in
detail that unless a bodily secretion is
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contaminated with these foul earthly
bodies, no infection can occur. The Spanish
Arab physician, Ibn-E-Khatima knew that
man is surrounded by minute bodies,
which enter the human body and produce
disease. Dr Grunner, the translator of Al-
Qanon of Avicenna, remarks in his preface
that the above two views considered
together give us glimpses of modern germ
therapy.
Unani Tibb was introduced in India by
Arab and Persian settlers. The Unani
physicians paid special attention to the
medicinal herbs found in India and wrote
books on the therapeutic qualities of these
herbs.
India has produced eminent Unani
physicians. A few among them are Hakim
Ajmal Khan and Hakim Abdul Hameed in
northern India, and Hakim Zahoorul Huq,
Hakim Mohammed Muqeem, Shifa Ul
Mulk and Hakim Syed Maqdoom Ashraf
in southern India.
General Principles
Concepts
Unani Tibb is based on the humoral theory.
This theory supposes the presence of four
humours in the body – blood, phlegm,
yellow bile and black bile. The temperament
of a person is accordingly expressed by the
words sanguine, phlegmatic, choloric and
melancholic, according to the preponderance
in him/her, respectively, of the
above humours. The humours are assigned
temperaments. Blood is hot and moist,
phlegm is cold and moist, yellow bile is hot
and dry, and black bile is cold and dry.
Drugs are also assigned tempera-ments.
Every person is supposed to have a unique
humoral constitution, which represents his
healthy state. Any change in this brings
about a change in the state of health. A
power of self-preservation or adjustment,