ADVANCEMENT OF MEDICINE

Although a European country, Greece did not contribute anything to the spread of its own medical science in Europe, or give any stimulus to progress in the field of modern medicine in the West. These facts are proof that the atmosphere in ancient Greece was not favourable to the progress of medicine. The Greek medicine which was brought into being by certain individuals (effort was all at the individual level, as the community did not give it general recognition) remained hidden away in obscure books for about one thousand years after its birth. It was only when these books were translated into Arabic during the Abbasid period (CE 750-1258), and edited by the Arabs with their own original additions, that it became possible for this science to find its way to Europe, thus paving the way for modern medical science. The reason for this is before the Islamic revolution, the world had been swept by superstitious beliefs. The environment in those times was so unfavourable that whenever an individual would undertake any academic or scientific research, he could never be certain of receiving encouragement. More often than not, he had to face severe antagonism. Indeed, whenever any scientific endeavour at the individual level came to the notice of the authorities, it would be promptly and rigorously suppressed. In a situation where diseases and their remedies were traditionally linked with the displeasure and subsequent appeasement of gods and goddesses, what appeal could the scientific method of treatment have for the people? Only when the monotheistic revolution came to the world in the wake of Islam did the door open to that medical progress which saw its culmination in modern medical science. The Prophet said, “God has sent the remedy for every disease in the world except death.” This saying of the Prophet was the declaration of the leader of a revolution. No sooner did he announce to the world this truth about medicine than history began to be shaped by it in many practical ways. Smallpox was considered one of the most dangerous diseases in the world. It was a highly contagious disease, characterized by fever and the appearance of small spots leaving scars in the form of pits. The symptoms include chills, headache, and backache. The spots appear about the fourth day. This is a fatal disease. Even if one survives the attack, the skin is scarred permanently. According to present records, this disease was identified in Egypt in c. 1122 BC and is also mentioned in ancient Indian books written in