Parvin Asghari, Mehdi Ghaffari ,
Volume 15, Issue 1 (3-2022)
Abstract
Historical reports indicate that concepts such as health, well-being, personal and social development are closely related to physical activity, and the civilized nations of the world have always considered the importance of physical activity in the field of health and wellness. Among the ancient nations, the Greeks were most interested in exercise and physical activity, as it was an important part of ancient Greek medicine, and ancient Greek physicians, especially Hippocrates and Galen, focused on physical activity and proper diet as important components of a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, much of the basic information about the relationship between exercise and health was presented in the findings and medical texts of ancient Greece, which was comprehensively and practically proposed by Galen in the form of the theory of nature and the unnatural. The present study uses a descriptive-analytical method based on library information to answer the question of when humans with scientific and principled method found that exercise and physical activity have played a role in body health and the result of ancient Greek medicine, especially theory. Galen on the relationship between exercise and health in the form of abnormalities in ancient Greece, the Middle Ages, then the Renaissance to the present day, can play an important and effective role of exercise and physical activity in maintaining body health and disease prevention in different eras of human life.
Elham Malekzadeh,
Volume 15, Issue 1 (3-2022)
Abstract
After September 1931 and the end of World War II, the Pahlavi government turned its attention to the villages and the implementation of the second development plan, followed by rural health programs. With the formation of the Health Corps in 1954, as the seventh principle of the Shah and the Nation Revolution, all physicians and pharmacists in the service of the conscription system were asked to take charge of medical-health services in rural areas of the country.
The present article uses archival documents and library resources in a descriptive-analytical manner to answer the question: Was the Health Corps in Iran a result of indigenous action or the result of the second Pahlavi government's development plans with US recommendations in support of Third World countries? The results of the research indicate that the historical nature and examples confirming the patient's defiance and their treatment were rooted in the historical past of Iran. The creation of the Health Corps and its acceptance by the villagers, due to its indigenous and Iranian nature, was acceptable in the historical memory of Iranians. However, the process of international interactions and the development policies of the country and the government's reform, along with taking advantage of US support opportunities, expanded within the framework of the principles of the White Revolution in Iran and led to extensive activity. This, as the present article claims, explains the indigenous practice of this measure.
Katayoun Fekripour , Azadeh Heidarpour,
Volume 15, Issue 1 (3-2022)
Abstract
Stress and psychological problems arose with the advent of urbanization. Ancestors generally knew disease as the result of interaction with external factors, including gods, demons, and spirits. The Iranians considered the disease created by the devil and the Mesopotamians considered the disease as a result of wrath of the gods on the sick person for various reasons. This study tries to show the knowledge of Iranians and Mesopotamians about mental illnesses and tries to answer these questions: What information about the treatment of mental illnesses has reached us through the ancient texts of the ancient Iranians and the tablets of the Mesopotamians? And was there also a difference between a physician and a psychiatrist? What similarities and differences can be seen in ancient Iranian texts and Mesopotamian tablets about these contents? In Iranian texts, we are a little familiar with the topic of psychiatry, but the Mesopotamian tablets, which are older, provide us with more details about mental illness. What is certain is that they did not know enough about mental illnesses because they were unfamiliar with brain function; As a result, they resorted to magic and sorcery to cure it. Psychotherapists had a high position in the Iranian and Mesopotamian society and were considered a clergyman. They worked with the physician to treat many ailments. This is a historical- descriptive research, and the subject matter has been gathered in a library way.
Jamal Rezaei Orimi, Shahrbanoo Asadi,
Volume 15, Issue 1 (3-2022)
Abstract
The Safavid period is considered one of the most important periods in the history of Iranian medicine. During this period, medical knowledge was developed many works in the field of medicine were written and several hospitals were established. In recent years, several studies have been conducted on the medical history of the Safavid period. The purpose of this study is to introduce and critique the paper "Medicine of the Safavid era relying on Western travelogues" by Saeed Agharezaei and Shiva Rezaei. This research is an analytical-critical study that uses library resources to review and evaluate the paper in terms of structure, content, and method. The paper has coherent writing and indicates the authors' efforts to explain the medical and health situation of the Safavid period from the perspective of Western tourists. In the structure of the paper, sometimes inappropriate references and writing errors are seen. Failure to mention the reasons for the migration of physicians to India, failure to determine the true location of hospitals, failure to mention the position of dental, veterinary and surgical knowledge, failure to mention epidemics and ambiguity of the pharmacology situation in the Safavid period can be enumerated content critiques. The results show that the paper, despite attempts to reveal various aspects of medicine in the Safavid era, has some structural, content, and method problems. Therefore, it is expected that the respected authors, by eliminating the mentioned problems, will be able to publish a more significant work on the history of medicine in future research.
Farhad Rashnopour, Mohsen Bahramnejad, Abbas Broomand Alalm, Baqer Ali Adelfar,
Volume 15, Issue 1 (3-2022)
Abstract
Jundishapur has been one of the oldest scientific and educational centers in Iran. A civil and intellectual field that emerged from the time of Sassanid Shapur (I), and gradually a scientific center emerged, especially in the medicine field. The splendor of the scientific center and the city of Jundishapur has been deeply correlated with the phenomenon of migration of Roman (Syriac-Nestorian) elites. Therefore, the causation and explanation of these migrations on the formation, life, and continuity of scientific center are significant to study. The present article attempted to investigate the dimensions of this issue from the perspective of historical sociology, relying on the theory of attraction and repulsion of Everett Lee. Thus, the present study tries to analyze three periods of elite migration from Rome to Jundishapur by using a descriptive-analytical method and relying on library resources and answer question of whether these migrations can be explained using the theory of attraction and repulsion? Findings indicate that in all three periods of the main migration of Roman elites to Jundishapur, Roman repulsions against Sassanid attractions have been very effective in the issue of residence and migration of elites. Religion has also been a crucial factor in the convergence and divergence of elites to migrate from Rome to Iran. The city of Jundishapur developed certain Syrian-Christian scientific and cultural features since its establishment. According to Everett Lee's migration theory, these characteristics had eliminated or downplayed the negative interventionist barriers and distance dilemma of elite migration from Rome to Jundishapur. Furthermore, the migration of elites from Rome to Jundishapur has been very effective in the survival of the city and the scientific center of Jundishapur
Gholamhossein Moghaddam Heidari,
Volume 15, Issue 1 (3-2022)
Abstract
In the pre-modern period, astrology has been the practice of relating celestial bodies to lives and events on earth and the resulting tradition. One aspect of astrology was based on the knowledge of astronomy and mathematical calculations, and the other aspect dealt with soothsaying. We can talk about two types of astrology: natural astrology and judicial astrology. Natural astrology has admitted the idea of celestial influences of a general nature, such as would affect the weather or the environment of a patient, and thus his chances of healing. Judicial astrology aims to determine the particular effects of the stellar influences on a specific person, with a view toward forecasting the future.
But it is noteworthy that many sciences in the pre-modern period used astronomical results. Thus, understanding the knowledge related to climate, agriculture and medicine in the pre-modern era is not complete without understanding astrology. In this article, in the first part, we try to briefly describe astrology and its types and enumerate some features of medical astrology as part of natural astrology. In the second part, we will examine how astrology influenced the medical theories of Hippocrates and Galen in ancient Greece. And we show that medical astrology for them has been part of the natural process of explaining diseases and methods of prognosis and treatment and prevention.
Our method in this article is the hermeneutic-based author understanding method. In other words, in this article, we do not use modern ideas about astrology, but try to examine medical astrology based on the natural and judicial astrology, which were expressed in the same pre-modern era. Thus, we show that astrology was not only an important science in its time, but was also related to the various sciences of its time, so that the understanding of knowledge related to medicine in the pre-modern would be incomplete without understanding astronomy.
Bagher Larijani,
Volume 16, Issue 0 (11-2023)
Abstract
This article is an editorial and has no abstract.
Zeinab Karimi, Shokrallah Khakrand, Massoumeh Dehghan,
Volume 16, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
The spread of epidemic diseases has always been one of the important issues in the scope of Islamic civilization The history of the plague epidemic dates back to ancient times So that the outbreak of the plague known as Justinian Plague in the late ancient period and its transfer to the Islamic period Muslims in the conquered lands Facing new issues Therefore, plague is one of the deadliest infectious diseases In the geographical scope Islamic civilization has been that in the early Islamic centuries It has caused damage to the social, economic and even intellectual and cultural structure of the Islamic society The land of sham has been one of the most plague-prone regions of Islamic civilization that repeatedly and consecutively And it happened with many injuries. This research aims to investigate the plague in the Sham region during the Umayyad period (661-749AD) Also, examine the reasons for its occurrence and the beliefs surrounding the plague in this region. The investigations of this research show The geographical location of the sham, its Mediterranean climate, and the location of the sham on the trade routes And the resulting changes It has been influential in the occurrence and spread of the plagueThe occurrence of the plague has also had important and interesting effects on the world view of Muslims. So that the plague was not considered an epidemic but as a result of divine mercy or divine punishment.
Mahshid Sadat Eslahi, Hasan Allahyari,
Volume 16, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
Malaria is one of the most common infectious diseases, the growth and prevalence of which depends on the environmental and climatic conditions of each region. The Pahlavi government took measures to prevent the spread of this disease in order to ensure public health in the society. In 1334 to 1347A.H, the seventh province of Fars, which included a large part of the coastal and post-coastal areas of the Persian Gulf, was considered one of the vulnerable areas to this disease due to its geographical location. Therefore, the main goal of this research is to investigate and analyze the actions of the Pahlavi government to control and prevent the spread of malaria in Fars province during the years 1334 to 1347A.H. The research method in this article is descriptive-analytical and data collection was done by referring to historical first-hand sources and unpublished local (Persian) documents. The findings of the research show that the Pahlavi government, within the framework of the second and third seven-year construction plans, has implemented solutions to treat and eradicate this disease, such as spraying operations, sending health teams, allocating special funds and implementing programs. He did training for this purpose. Statistical analysis shows that these measures were relatively successful and effective in preventing the spread and control of malaria in Fars. However, the implementation of this plan in Fars was not without challenges.
Farzaneh Zare, Mohammad Hossein Ayati, Mohammad Reza Shams-Ardekani, Mohsen Baghbani,
Volume 16, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
Drug title is one of the important tools for recognizing and evaluating a combination drug and also analyzing its content. However, sometimes due to the existence of problems that is considered a kind of pathology in this field, is tarnished. The present study tries to identify the problems of nomenclature of compounded drugs. The names of combination drugs available in this research have been collected from three books in traditional pharmacy, namely Gharabadin-e-Salehi, Gharabadin-e- Kabeer, and Gharabadin-e- Azam, related to 18th and 19th centuries. The results showed that there are 5 major problems in nomenclature of compounded drugs: (1) several names for one drug with various formulations, (2) one name for drugs with various formulations, (3) a great deal of variation in unnamed drugs, (4) some unknown pharmaceutical dosage forms, and (5) being dosage forms at one with route of administration and mechanism of action. The study exposes combination drugs in Persian medicine have named concerning various patterns. For this reason, there is non-cooperation that feels a need to special investigation
Aliyeh Jahanian, Amir Aghayali, Jamal Rezaei Orimi,
Volume 16, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
Quarantine has a long history in Iran. The spread of epidemic diseases led to the creation of quarantine establishments in Iran. During the Qajar period, quarantine was taken into consideration, and at the end of the 19th century, quarantine establishments were developed in the borders of Iran. Accordingly, in recent years, much research has been conducted on quarantine. The present study aimed to introduce and criticize the paper entitled, “Quarantines of Iran in the End of Ghajar and the Beginning of Pahlavi Era” by Kasiri and Dehghannejad. This analytical-critical study was conducted using library resources to introduce and evaluate the aforementioned paper. The text of the article is coherent and integrated and indicates the authors’ efforts to identify the problems and obstacles to implementing quarantine in Iran. Concerning the structure of the article, there are instances of inappropriate referencing, writing errors, and ambiguity in the scope and limits. Moreover, the failure to mention the effects of World War I on the severity of communicable diseases and quarantine and the vagueness of the prevalence of infectious diseases can be among the criticisms of the content and methodology. Although the abovementioned paper could present a new approach to the history of Quarantine in Iran in the Qajar and Pahlavi eras for the scholars of the history of medicine, it suffers from several structural, content, and methodological flaws. Therefore, given the importance of criticism in scientific studies and according to the analysis of this paper, the results could help enhance the quality of studies and scientific productions in this field.
Rasool Esmalipour, Seyed Mohammadali Tabatabaei,
Volume 17, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
This Article has no Abstract.
Jamal Rezaei Orimi, Sina Moradi Mansour,
Volume 17, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
This Article has no Abstract.
Reza Karami,
Volume 17, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
Epidemic diseases have historically posed significant threats to human societies, with the plague being one of one of the deadliest. Between 1772 and 1773, an outbreak of plague, known as Abu Chafchir or Abu Khanjar, occurred in Ottoman Iraq, inflicting severe damage on the local economy. This outbreak spread throughout the Persian Gulf and southern Iran; hence it was also referred to as the Persian plague in European accounts. This study aimed to investigate the effects of this plague on human societies and its scope from various dimensions. The study was conducted using library-based and historical methods with a descriptive-analytical approach. Persian, Arabic, and English resources were extracted from domestic databases as well as the archives of British newspapers and the digital archive of Qatar, as important foreign archives. The findings indicated that Mesopotamia was one of the important centers for the outbreak of the plague, and the Persian plague spread to neighboring countries from this region. The results also revealed that the initial attempts to implement quarantine measures in Iran were made during the Karimkhan Zand dynasty and some preventive measures were taken for the first time in response to this plague. Moreover, the transregional trades and movement of commercial and pilgrimage caravans in these areas increased the spread of this disease. This plague changed the political and economic relations of these regions with other countries and resulted in a dramatic population decline
Mahsima Abdoli, Hamidreza Namazi,
Volume 17, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
Recognizing diseases and their causes is one of the most critical issues in medicine, forming the foundation of treatment. Disease responses and complications might differ among individuals, with some exhibiting more resistance to certain illnesses due to genetic or environmental factors. Furthermore, we are currently witnessing the emergence of new diseases for which definitive treatments have yet to be developed. This evidently underscores the need to explore the fundamental causes of diseases. Evolutionary medicine has been discussed in Western medical discourse for less than half a century. Grounded in Darwinian principles, this theory examines the issues humans have faced, both naturally and as influenced by social conditions, throughout our evolutionary history. Research in evolutionary medicine indicates that human health and illness are shaped not only by immediate biological and environmental factors but also by the long history of human evolution and the transformations that have occurred over time. Accordingly, this study introduced 13 key indices of evolutionary medicine, highlighting its significance and application in medicine and healthcare. Moreover, it emphasized the necessity for greater attention to this concept from both medical science and interdisciplinary perspectives.
Elham Malekzadeh, Zahra Alizadeh Birjandi,
Volume 17, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
This study examined the history of the establishment and evolution of Tehran’s insane asylum during the Qajar and Pahlavi periods. The significance of this study in medical history lies in its exploration of the founding of one of Iran’s earliest medical institutions and the factors that influenced its subsequent transformations. Given its focus on the development of insane asylum (Dar al-Majanin) and the public’s appeals for its improvement, this study offers valuable insights into the social history of the period. Employing a descriptive-analytical approach and relying on unpublished archival documents, this study presented a narrative of the history of madness that shed light on the untold stories of the mentally ill (Majanin) and prevailing societal beliefs about them. These beliefs profoundly influenced the treatment of patients within these institutions. The findings revealed that while the care provided to the mentally ill improved during this period, ongoing challenges persisted due to limited resources and a growing patient population. The prevailing attitude of officials toward the mentally ill was primarily one of containment, aimed at protecting the public from perceived threats.
Hamid Kavyani Pooya,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (3-2025)
Abstract
Education in Iran, as in the rest of the world, has a long history, and with the foundation of inclusive national governments, due to the interaction of civilizations and adaptation of scientific achievements, education and educational institutions and centers have undergone major changes and transformations. Accordingly, this study aimed to examine different methods of teaching medical sciences and transferring medical achievements to scholars and those interested in this profession in the history of Iran until the end of the Safavid era through a library-based method. Data were collected from original medical resources, travelogues, and reliable historical documents and evidence in Arabic, Persian, and English. Data were then described and analyzed using domestic databanks. The findings indicated that throughout the history of Iran, particularly in the Islamic civilization, medical education and sciences have been transferred both theoretically and practically. In modern terms, this involved lectures (theory) and clinical training (practice). Nevertheless, there have been differing opinions regarding the importance and priority of each method, and the period under study witnessed significant evolution and changes in improving the ways medical concepts have been conveyed to scholars.
Reza Taghi Zade Naieni,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (3-2025)
Abstract
The plague of 1896 AD/1314 AH was one of the most devastating epidemics in history that occurred in Bombay, India. This disease had a profound impact on human societies, particularly Islamic societies, and on the pilgrimage of Muslims between 1896 and 1899. This historical review study analyzed the consequences of the plague outbreak in Bombay, India, in 1896 AD/1314 AH on the pilgrimage process of Muslims in the mentioned year and the following years. This study also examined the type of exposure of Muslims to this disease and the restrictions imposed by the governments of the time. Data were collected from historical resources such as reports in Hajj travelogues, historical documents, Arabic press news, recent research by Western researchers, and scientific articles. The findings indicated that the ruling governments attempted to prevent the spread of the disease and reduce casualties by establishing and developing quarantine facilities, dispatching medical teams, shortening the permitted duration of pilgrims’ stay in Saudi Arabia, and persuading Muslims to forgo the Hajj pilgrimage. The success of these preventive measures hinged on two main factors: first, the necessary executive power to enforce restrictions, and second, the mitigation of economic insecurity for communities simultaneously affected by illness and pilgrimage. Furthermore, the acceptance of these limitations was significantly influenced by Muslim perceptions of the restrictions and their cultural and religious backgrounds.
Zahra Aghabeiglooei, Roshanak Saghebi, Jamal Rezaei Orimi, Morteza Mojahedi,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (3-2025)
Abstract
The history of medicine during the Safavid period (907-1135 AH) in Iran, as one of the important periods, has always been the focus of researchers. The main objective of this study was to conduct a quantitative evaluation of articles related to the “history of medicine in the Safavid period” in Iran. This descriptive-analytical, applied study was conducted using a quantitative approach. The statistical population of the study comprised all scientific productions on the history of medicine in the Safavid period indexed in domestic and international scientific databases over 22 years, from 2001 to March 2024. During the period under review, a total of 247 articles in the field of the history of medicine in the Safavid period were published with the participation of 542 authors. In terms of thematic orientation, 18.2% of the published works were on the biographies of physicians, while research, translation, and editing of medical manuscripts ranked next with 16.1%. Among universities and scientific centers, Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Islamic Azad University ranked first. Male participation accounted for approximately 60%, exceeding that of female authors, and about 68% of the works were the result of collaborative research. The Journal of Islamic and Iranian Traditional Medicine published the highest number of articles. The most common type of publication was original research articles. Content analysis showed that, despite significant growth in this research field, an excessive concentration on specific topics, such as physicians’ biographies, has limited scholarly attention to other dimensions of medical history in this period, highlighting the need for broader and more balanced research perspectives.
Zahra Aghabeiglooei, Jamal Rezaei Orimi, Seyed Mohammad Hashemimehr, Roshanak Saghebi, Morteza Mojahedi, Seyyed Amir Hosein Latifi, Mehdi Salehi, Seyed Abdollah Mahmood,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (3-2025)
Abstract
Evaluating and analyzing scientific productions play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of research and effectively managing research resources. This study aimed to quantitatively assess the content of theses in the field of the history of medical sciences in Iranian universities from 2013 to 2022. This applied study was conducted using the quantitative content analysis method. The findings revealed that the highest number of theses were completed in 2022 (19.2%), with topics related to traditional medicine and traditional pharmacy being the most prevalent. Descriptive and descriptive-analytical studies were the most common research methods. Moreover, the most frequent keywords included “Medical History”, “Traditional Medicine”, and “Iranian Medicine” and their Persian equivalents. Regarding historical periods, the Islamic period (from the emergence of Islam to the early Safavid era) accounted for the highest number of theses, while the contemporary period had the lowest. The results indicated a research focus on traditional medicine and the Islamic period, highlighting the need for further exploration of other historical periods and the use of qualitative methods to deepen understanding of historical complexities.
