Week 6 (Ancient Persian Medicine and Surgery)

Question 1

Who was Celsus (1st CE) ?

Answer 1

Roman medical writer; only Texts on On Medicine survived.

He Divided medicine into:
1. Regimes (lifestyle, diet)
2. Pharm (medications)

Texts describe:
- Surgery (least favored).
- procedures (combat wounds, cataracts).

Question 2

Healing: Medicine vs. Body (Celsus)

Answer 2

• Some patients heal due to luck.
• Some due to medical intervention.
• Surgery is crucial, but pharm & regime needed for aftercare

Question 3

Weapon Wounds – Arrows (treatment and Medical direction)

Answer 3

• Extraction depends on location/type.
• Deep wounds (near vessels/tendons) → open surgery.
• Tools: Forceps for grip.
  Omitted knowledge = assumed knowledge (Likely a physician’s guidebook)

Question 4

Weapon Wounds – Missiles (Treatment and Medical Direction)

Answer 4

Lead bullets sink into skin → major damage.

Extraction:
- Forceps via entry wound.
- Stuck in bone/joint → loosen first.

Luck plays a role.

Anesthesia: Used based on economic status (often none).

Question 5

Sanitation Practices

Answer 5

Hand washing not practiced until 1870.

Luck played a role in survival.

Question 6

Eye Surgeries

Answer 6

Curable vs. incurable → assess light/color perception.

Symptoms of incurable cases: headaches, pupil deformity.

Question 7

Cataract Surgery

Answer 7

Before: Fasting.

During: Bright light, bandaged good eye, ambidextrous technique.

Needle insertion: Away from the center, avoid vessels.

Aftercare: Egg whites, soft wool, rest, light diet.

Question 8

Persian Medicine – Historical Context

Answer 8

Location: Iranian Plateau (trade & cultural exchange).

History:
Medes (10th BCE) → Achaemenids (559–330 BCE).

Alexander the Great → Seleucid → Parthian (247 BCE – 224 CE) → Sassanian (226–651 CE).

Trade: Rome, Byzantine, India, China.

Question 9

Persian Medicine – Phases

Answer 9

1. Indo-European Period:
   Warriors (knife), farmers (herbs), priests (mantras).
2. Imperial Period:
   Achaemenid, Seleucid, Parthian, Sassanian.
3. Islamic Period:
   Focus on famous doctors (e.g., Avicenna).

Question 10

Persian Religion & Culture

Answer 10

Zoroastrianism (most prominent).

Other religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Gnosticism.

Medical impact: Pollution = health threat.

Question 11

Cosmology & Medicine (Persia)

Answer 11

Ahura Mazda (Good) vs. Angra Mainyu (Evil).

Good = cosmic order, health.
Evil = disease, destruction.
Healing = restoring balance.

Rituals: Dream interpretation, soul travel, exorcism.

Question 12

Disease & Healing (Persia)

Answer 12

Disease = demonic possession.
Health = Ahura Mazda’s gift.

Healing methods:
- Priestly power (spells, light, obedience).

• Purity important (sick people isolated).
• Women post-stillbirth separated for cleansing.

Question 13

Healing Deities

Answer 13

Ahura Mazda: Supreme Healer.

Airyaman: Heals 99,999 diseases, purification rituals.

Anahita: Water, fertility, healing.

Azi Dahaka: Snakes, venom (harmful).

Fravashis: Protective spirits.

Question 14

Sources of Persian Medicine

Answer 14

Mostly Arabic translations (Middle Persian lost).

Best sources: Herodotus & Xenophon.

Priests omitted details (to prevent misuse).

Question 15

World is made up of two parts:

Answer 15

This world: bones and living things

Other world: Gods, demons, thoughts

Question 16

who gave power to kings?

Answer 16

Ahura Mazda
** - Maintain order and community cohesion (human-human; human-divine)