The 13 Commandments of a Medieval Physician

What were the principles that medieval physicians used in their profession? A document from the 13th century offers a handy guide of 13 points to rely on.

In an article in the Journal of the International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine, a pair of Syrian scholars examine the career of Abu Nasr Sa`ed al-Baghdadi (d.1227), and his book Kitab Intikhab al-iqtidab. The physician, who once treated the Abbasid Caliph al-Nasir (1185-1225), created Kitab Intikhab al-iqtidab as a beginner’s guide in medical sciences. Al-Baghdadi included a number of tips for students in his work, including one section where he gave 13 ‘Commandents’ that a medieval physician should follow:

1. The power of the patient is stronger than the disease, there is no need then for a physicians or medicine.

2. Physicians first control pulse and the eyes of the patient.

3. If we can treat the patient with food, there is no need for the drug.

4. If we can treat the patient with mild medicine, there is no need for strong one.

5. If we can treat the patient with one medicine, there is no need for more than one.

6. Don’t prescribe the drug before expert it.

7. The experience of the drug should be on a healthy person.

8. When you need to treatment two diseases at same patient, you must begin deal with the most dangerous one.

9. When patient desire some thing like foods, drink, give him it.

10. We must take care about the patient desire of method of treatment.

11. We must relieve the patient’s pain.

12. We must know the whole clinical story of patient.

13. We must know the disease before begin the medication.

Source ~ https://www.medievalists.net/.../commandments-medieval.../