Algebra, Alchemy and Albucasis

Before we reenter European obstetrics, where the Dark Ages were being swept away  by rays of sunlight from the Arab world, we should take a moment to visit the infidels and find out just how much they actually knew about science and medicine. The Islamic world was, at the time, a hotbed of scientific research. Great strides were made in astronomy and several other sciences. But two, for our purposes, are especially important.

In mathematics, Algebra was invented, helped along largely by the introduction of Arabic numbers (you, know, the ones we use). While they probably originated in India, they traveled to the Arab world and were immediately adopted, as was a new, radical concept–ZERO. Seriously. Zero seems to have cropped up in the Indus valley in the late 6th century (and, independently, in the Mayan world about the same time). Once in the hands of Arab mathematicians, zero begat the Al-jebra.

Arabic numerals and algebra finally made it to Europe in the 12th century, via a mathematician named “Fibonacci.” If you haven’t heard of him, look him up. His “sequence” imbues all things biological, from sunflowers to the mating habits of rabbits.

The Al-chemy was another invention of the Arab world. While its basic intention was always to turn lead into gold, presumably because they were both heavy, the endeavors to do so had direct impact on the understanding of the natural world. (The Church frowned on alchemy as “magic.” But that didn’t stop reputable natural philosophers from dabbling in it–one of the most notable alchemists was Isaac Newton.)

As their understanding of chemistry advanced, the Arab world made important contributions to the pharmacopeia, much of which was in the form of contraceptives and abortives (the Islamic world, at least at the time, had no particular hangups on the ethics of this class of drugs, and wrote loudly and proudly about them). Many of these were familiar to the Roman world (as was much of the Arabic medicine, which was primarily Galenic), but some new drugs were introduced into the canon–camphor, cloves, cassia, ergot, hashish, mercury, myrrh, nutmeg, strychnine and tamarind top the list.

In keeping with Islamic rules about female modesty, most women’s illnesses were tended by women. Some of them were quite well educated, and even performed surgeries. Male physicians were only called if the women found themselves out of their league.

Several well-known physicians hailed from the Arab world. Rhazes (860-932 CE) wrote a treatise on gynecology which was a major source for Europe until the Renaissance. The great medical compiler Paul of Aegina (625-690 CE) was responsible for a seven volume medical encyclopedia that largely transmitted Galen and Hippocrites to Europe.

Avicenna (Ibn Sina, 980-1037 CE) wrote 70 chapters on gynecology. He may have been the first physician to use the speculum with a mirror, to reflect light into the vagina (although I have absolutely NO idea how the ancient invention of the speculum could have been even marginally useful without light).

Albucasis (936-1013 CE) was all about surgical intervention. He designed (or at least described) a variety of instruments that were used in labor and delivery, as well as assorted other surgeries. In the drawings are things that look more than a tad like forceps–although credit for developing the forceps is generally given to the Chamberlain family in England in the 16th century.

To catch up on the entire series of The Nefarious History of Motherhood, click here.

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