What is it about?
The chapter treats the use of Opium, Henbane and Hashish in medicine. What were they used for, how was medicine produced from them, how were they dosed, what qualities were attributed to them. In this chapter the great standard texts of classical Arabic medicine are compared to answer those questions - with sometimes astonishing results.
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Why is it important?
This is important, because the medicinal quality of these substances, mostly known as intoxicants, is part of what they are and cannot be overlooked. All three substances have healing qualities and the intoxication can be a side effect. Sometimes the intoxication is the desired effect and needs to be treated with medicine. Furthermore, are first look at the understanding of addiction in per modern times is taken.
Perspectives
This chapter is one large puzzle of information from the great works of classical Arabic medicine. The information is brought together, compared and analysed and the reader learns about narcotics in medicine in full.
Dr. Thomas Thiemann
Westfalische Wilhelms-Universitat Munster
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Betäubungsmittel in der Medizin, January 2025, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1163/9789004722385_003.
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