3.3.5

Translating Knowledge & Key Scholars

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Developments in Science and Medicine

Baghdad was the centre of science and medicine in the Muslim world. Its knowledge would help shape the study of medicine and health worldwide.

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Translating knowledge

  • Al-Ma'mun, Caliph from AD 813-833, set up a translating house in Baghdad. Scholarly books and writings from around the world could be translated into Arabic.
  • These books would be translated into Latin in the 11th century and would circulate around Christian Europe.
  • Some of the knowledge used in Europe originated from the Muslim world.
    • This shows how important Arabic and Islamic knowledge was for the rest of the world.
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Saving knowledge

  • Arab Muslims learned how to examine a patient using alcohol as an antiseptic and preparing medicine. They also made advances with anaesthetics, which were used to put people to sleep before surgery.
  • Muslim scholars in Baghdad found and translated Galen's work.
  • Galen, an Ancient Greek doctor, proved that arteries carry blood, discovered nerves, and developed new methods for performing surgeries.
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Rhazes

  • Muslim scholars also made their own medical discoveries.
  • Al-Razi (Rhazes) wrote nearly 200 books on medicine in the 10th century. This included a huge medical encyclopedia that listed many diseases.
    • He was the first author to have written a book that focused on children's diseases.
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Rhazes cont.

  • Rhazes was able to explain the difference between smallpox and measles. He helped doctors find differences between the two in their patients.
  • Rhazes was not afraid to disagree with earlier doctors. He even challenged some of Galen's writings.
  • A painting of Rhazes was made in Europe 300 years after his death.

Jump to other topics

1Empires East & West: 1000 AD

1.1The Rise & Fall of Ancient China’s Empire

1.2The Medieval Greatness of the Byzantine Empire

1.3The Golden Age of the Islamic Empire

1.4The Politics & Power of the Holy Roman Empire

1.5Medieval Religion

1.6The Influence of the Church in Medieval Times

1.7How Religion Tested the Power of Kings

1.8Dynastic Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.9Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.10Revolts, Rebellions & Rights

1.11Medieval England & Her Neighbours

1.12European Renaissance

1.13Norman Conquest & Control

1.14Historical Skills

2The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

2.1Anglo-Saxon England

2.2The Contest for the English Throne

2.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

2.4King John

2.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

2.6The Black Death

3Worldviews

4The Empire of Mali: 1076-1670 AD

5The Renaissance & Reformations: 1500-1598 AD

6The British Empire: 1583-1960 AD

7The Peasants' Revolt: 1381 AD

8Religion in the Middle Ages

9Slavery: 1619-1833 AD

10The English Civil War: 1642-1660 AD

11The Industrial Revolution: 1750-1840 AD

12US Independence: 1775-1783 AD

13The French Revolution: 1789-1815 AD

14The British Empire: 1857–1930 AD

15Suffrage: 1840-1928 AD

16World War 1: 1914-1918 AD

17The Inter-War Years: 1919-1939 AD

18World War 2: 1939-1945 AD

19The Cold War: 1947-1962 AD

20Civil Rights in the USA: 1954-1975 AD

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