SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTIONScientifi c contribution OF of MEDICALmedical scientists SCIENTISTS in in IN MIDDLE AGES IN AZERBAIJAN

Farid ALAKBARLI, Vuqar MAMMADOV, Aida BANDALIYEVA, Department of Information and Translation of the Institute of Manuscripts of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Azerbaijan Medical University

Rezumat Azerbaidjanul este o țară la intersecția a numeroase culturi, religii și civilizații. Ca ur- mare, medicina antică a fost influențată de diferite sisteme de vindecare, cum ar fi: turcă, iraniană, semitică și greacă. Locuitorii antici ai Azerbaidjanului au manifestat anumite cunoștințe în domeniul medicinei. Institutul de Manuscrise al Academiei Naționale de Științe din Azerbaidjan (IMANAS) conține o colecție de 390 de documente ale medicinei timpurii, inclusiv 363 de manuscrise ce datează din secolul IX, incluse de UNESCO în Registrul Internațional al Programului „Memoria Lumii”. Cuvinte-cheie: istorie, manuscrise medicale, farmacie, spital, farmaceutic.

A zerbaijan is a country at the crossroads of numerous cultures, religions and civilizations. Th erefore, ancient Azerbaijani medicine was infl uenced by various healing systems, such as Turkic, Iranian, Semitic and Greek medicine. Ancient inhabitants of Azerbaijan had certain knowledge in the fi eld of medicine. New era in medicine began aft er the invasion of and the spread of in Azerbaijan. Th e development of various sciences, including , occurred when Islam was introduced (7th century AD). Th e great empire created by Arabs and named Khalifat rapidly merged various cultures of the Islamic domain. Since then, the Azeri, Turkish, Persian, Indian, Greek, , Turkish schools of medicine deeply infl uenced each other. Various scientifi c traditions located within the boundaries of this common empire led to an unprecedented era of mixing infusion in all branches of science [1]. Arabic, the language in which the Holy Koran had been written, gradually became the offi cial language of culture and science, including medicine. Th is facilitated understanding between Azerbaijani and those from various eastern countries. By the 10th century, a single language linked peoples from Spain to . Since then, the Arabic language became for Azerbaijan what Latin and Greek had been to the West - the language of literature, the arts and sciences, and the common tongue of the educated. Th e Memory of the World Program is carried out by UNESCO to discover and protect the most important, rare and unique written documents which are crucial and irreplaceable not only for separate regions, states or nations, but for the humankind in the whole. Now several medieval manuscripts from Azerbaijan have been added to this list. Th e Institute of Manuscripts of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (IMANAS) named aft er Muhammad , has a collection of 390 early medical documents, which include 363 manuscripts dating from the 9th century. Most are written in Arabic - the

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literary script of the day. Of these, 70 are in the Arabic language, 71 in (Azeri, Ottoman Turkish, Tatar, Kumyk, Uzbek), and the remainder in Persian. Th e Manuscript Institute is fortunate to have some unique treasures in their collection. In 29 July 2005, UNESCO adopted the decision on inclusion of the collection of medieval medical manuscripts on medicine and pharmacy presented by the Institute of Manuscripts of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences in the İnternational Register of the „Memory of the World” Programme. Th ree items are beinq nominated for insription on the Register as a set of documents on a specifi c theme. Th ere are: „Zakhirai-Nazimshahi” (Supplies of Nizamshah) by Rustam Jurjani, „al-Qanun fi at-Tibb” ( Canon of Medicine, the Second Book) by Abu Ali İbn Sina (Avisenna) and „al-Makala as-Salasun” (Th irtieth Treatise) by Abu al-Qasim al-Zahravi (Abulcasis). Th e Manuscript Institute is fortunate to have some real treasures in their collection. For example, it preserves one of the oldest copies of the second volume of „Canon of Medicine” (1030) by Ibn Sina, known in the West as (980-1037). Th e manuscript was copied in 537 Hijra (1143) in . Th e second book is primarily devoted to . It contains pharmaceutical descriptions of hundreds of natural medicines: plants, minerals and animal substances. Th e uniqueness of the manuscript is in that it is one of the most ancient manuscripts of „Canon” in the world which was copied only 104 years aft er the author’s death. Avicenna’s manuscript is considered to be the most reliable in the world. Th e second volume of „Canon of Medicine” was translated into Uzbek and Russian basically from the abovementioned manuscript (Tashkent, 1980-1982). Avicenna, born in the town of Afshana nearby (Uzbekistan), did much of his medical observation later on in Persia and Azerbaijan. „Canon”, an encyclopedic work in Arabic, is considered to be the single, most famous book in medical history - both in the East and in the West. During the Middle Ages, the „Canon of Medicine” infl uenced the development of medical sciences in the whole and Christian . In the 12th century, the Canon was translated from Arabic to Latin by Gerard of Cremona (1140-1187) and used as a medical textbook in European universities. Th e book was held in such reverence that Michelangelo was recorded as saying: „It is better to be mistaken following Avicenna than to be true following others” [2]. Th e manuscript is written on the thick white paper. Th e text is black, titles are written in red ink. Format: 18x20 cm, number of leaves: 186, code: M136/17026 Th is book was written in the 13th century and imitates the famous medical book by Zeynaddin Jurjani. Rustam Jurjani’s manuscript is unique, because it is the only manuscript of this book in the world. „Zakhirai-Nizamshahi” by Rustam Jurjani is the original work resembling „Zakhirai Kharazmshahi” by Zeynaddin Ibn Abu Ibrahim Jurjani (12th century), the famous Central Asian author. Th e manuscript is unique and is not found in other manuscripts deposits in the world. In any case, its name is not shown in any known catalogues of the world.

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Th e date of compilation is not known, but the manuscript was copied in the 16th century (954 by Hijra). Th e book provides descriptions of pharmaceutical properties of medicinal herbs, animal substances, minerals and complex medicines. It infl uenced the development of medicine and pharmacology in Persian-speaking countries and those areas where Persian was in use. It was partially researched in Azerbaijan. Th e work is preserved as a manuscript and still is not translated and published. Th e manuscript was written in the nasta’lik script on white paper in black ink. Th e titles are written in red ink. Th e binding is of black leather. Th e fi rst page is decorated with an ornament. Th e format: 16x25 cm, number of leaves - 487, code M220/5305. One of the tomes of a comprehensive book about „ and Surgical Instruments” written in Arabic. Th is unique manuscript is one of the rarest and most ancient manuscripts of this book in the World. Th e book contains pictures of approximately 200 medieval surgical instruments. Zahravi (who died in 1013) is the only medieval author who provides pictures of so many surgical instruments, and explains methods of their application. Th is work infl uenced the development of surgery in the Muslim East and Europe. Abulkasim was born in (Spain) when this country was under the Arab rule. During many centuries Zakhravi’s book was the most authoritative textbook on surgery both in East and West. In medieval Europe Abu al-Qasim was known as Abulcasis or Albucasis (the Latinized form of „Abulkasim”). Al-Zahrawi is believed to have been born in the city of al-Zahra, six miles northwest of Cordoba, sometime between 936 and 940. It was here that he lived, studied, taught and practiced medicine and surgery until shortly before his death in about 1013, two years aft er the sacking of al-Zahra. Because al-Zahra was pillaged and destroyed, little is known about its illustrious son El Zahrawi. He was fi rst mentioned by the Andalusian scholar Abu Muhammad bin Hazm (993-1064), who listed him among the great - surgeons of Moorish Spain. Th e fi rst known biography of al-Zahrawi, however, appeared in al-Humaydi’s Jadhwat al- Muqtabis (On Andalusian Savants), completed six decades aft er al- Zahrawi’s death.It is clear from al-Zahrawi’s life history and from his writings that he devoted his entire life and genius to the advancement of medicine as a whole and surgery in particular. Al-Zahrawi wrote a medical encyclopedia spanning 30 volumes which included sections on surgery, medicine, orthopedics, ophthalmology, pharmacology, nutrition etc. Th is book was known as al-Tasrif and contained data that al-Zahrawi had accumulated during a career that spanned almost 50 years of training, teaching and practice. He apparently traveled very little but had wide experience in treating accident victims and war casualties [3]. Th e most importance treatise is the one on surgery. Th is monumental work was the fi rst in Arabic to treat surgery independently and in detail. It included many pictures of surgical instruments, most invented by al-Zahrawi himself, and explanations of their use. Al-Zahrawi was the fi rst medical author to provide illustrations of instruments used in surgery. Th ere are approximately 200 such drawings ranging from a tongue depressor and a tooth extractor to a catheter and an elaborate obstetric device.

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Th e facsimile of the Baku manuscript and its translation into Russian by Professor was published in in 1983. Many interesting scientifi c concepts concerning medicine we can fi nd in „at-Tahsil” by the great Azerbaijan philosopher Bahmanyar al-Azerbaijani (died. 1065/6 AD). Medieval biographer Ali bin Zeyd al-Beyhaki wrote about him: „Philosopher Bahmanyar, a sage and student of Abu Ali (Avicenna), Zoroastrian, and native of Azerbaijan. He investigated the most involved questions of philosophy...” [1]. In his philosophic works, Bahmanyar touched upon some questions of biology and medicine. Like Ibn Sina, he was a follower of Aristotle in science. Th e well-known pharmacist Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Namvar Tabrizi (1194- 1245 AD) was born in Azerbaijan in the city of . He is the author of the famous book entitled „Adwar al-Hammiyat” (Th e Medicines against Fever). Th e book by Abu Abdullah contains descriptions of more than 500 medicines arranged in alphabetical order. He widely used books by Abubakir Razi, Ibn Sina and other great physicians and scholars. Th e books by Abubakir Razi, including „Al-Havi fi al-Tibb”(Comprehensive Book on Medicine) and „Mansuri fi al-Tibb” (Winner in Medicine) were especially popular in medieval Azerbaijan. During the 8th-14th c. AD, a number of clinics were established in three large historical areas of Azerbaijan Major Dar al-Shifa medical center (13th-14th centuries) in Tabriz and about 67 large hospitals in various cities of Western Azerbaijan, Eastern Azerbaijan, and Zanjan provinces of the present-day . Pharmacy factory in Gabala (8th c. AD) and numerous public hospitals and pharmacies in the cities of Ganja, Barda, Beylagan and other settlements of (western part of the present-day Azerbaijan Republic) Malham Medical Academy (12th century) in the city of and a number of clinics in Darband, Shabran, Baku and other cities of (Eastern part of the present-day Azerbaijan Republic). Southern Azerbaijan and Arran were ruled by the Turkic atabeys (kings) of the Eldaniz (Ildenizid, Eldiguzid) dynasty, while Shirvan was ruled by of the local Kesrani dynasty from the 6th century. Tabriz and Ganja, the capitals of atabeys were the largest cities in the Muslim world. Th us, in those times, the population of Tabriz was about 200.000, while population of Ganja approached 700.000. Approximately 120.000 residents lived in Shamakhi, the capital of Shirvan (northern-eastern Azerbaijan). It must be noted that during this period, the population of the largest European towns such as , London and Florence did not exceed 20.000 to 30.000 people. Eldanizids were a Seljuk dynasty, which represented the Oguz brunch of Turkic family. Such Eldanizid rulers as Shamsaddin Eldaniz (1136-1174 AD), Abu Jafar Muhammad Jahan Pahlavan (1174-1186 AD), Kizil Arslan (1186-1191 AD), Atabey Abubakir (1191-1210 AD) and Atabey Ozbek (1210- 1225 AD) promoted the development of medicine in Azerbaijan. During the rule of Eldanizids, numerous hospitals and pharmacies appeared in Tabriz. Th ese hospitals, or Dar al-Shifa (House of Healing), bore little resemblance to European

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clinics of those times. Th us, the Christian church in the Medieval Europe taught that soul is more important than body and, there fore, medical treatment was not valued much. On the contrary, medieval hospitals in Azerbaijan were places where the sick could be treated and cured by physicians. Physicians who worked in various Dar al-Shifa tried to heal their patients by means of natural medicines and their mixtures. In addition, a number of medical schools and libraries were attached to the largest hospitals. Azerbaijani scholars used to write medical books in Azeri Turkic, Arabic and Persian. Manuscripts were copied by calligraphers, bound with leather and decorated with colored drawings of medicinal herbs, animals and minerals. Among the scientists and physicians who lived and worked in Southern Azerbaijan during 11th-12th centuries we should emphasize the names of Abu Said Tabrizi, Abdulla al-Urmavi and Safi addin al-Urmavi [4]. Medicine developed also in Shirvan (Northern Azerbaijan). One of the large hospitals was situated in the district of Malham nearby Shamakhi, the capital of Shirvan. Th e founder and chief of hospital, Kafi addin Omar was the uncle of the great Azerbaijani poet Khagani Shirvani (1120-1199 AD). Kafi addin also founded a special medical school where he taught students to treat various ailments with natural remedies [5]. In this school, students learned Arabic, Persian, Greek and other foreign languages. Such hospitals were founded not only in Azerbaijan, but also in diff erent countries of the Muslim East. Th e Ibn Tulun Hospital and Mansuri Hospital of Egypt, the Adudi Hospital of Baghdad, and the Nuri Hospital of Morocco were very famous. Th e shahs, khalifs and rulers paid special attention to their organization, regularly visited them, and personally inspected the state of aff airs in them as well as inquired about the condition of patients. A medieval pharmaceutical factory with numerous technical appliances for producing medicines was found during archeological excavations in the Kabala Fortress, the former capital of the (northern-western part of the present day Azerbaijan Republic). Th is factory dated back to the 8th-9th century AD. Numerous jars and bottles for medicines and a special appliance for distillation of essential oils from medicinal plants were discovered. In 1220 AD, Mongolian troops captured Azerbaijan. Th ey destroyed a number of towns, villages, hospitals and libraries. All independent states in the south of Azerbaijan ceased to exist. Shirvan was also destroyed, but was able to preserve its statehood as a vassal of the Mongolians. Many scholars were killed during this war but the development of culture did not stop. Curiously, the great achievements in science including medicine occurred namely in the Mongolian Period. Th e prominent Azerbaijani scholar, physician and philosopher Nasiraddin Tusi was born in 1201 in Tus, east of Iran. As a scientist and all-around genius, he is known for many things: founding an observatory in Maragha (the Azerbaijani cultural center in present-day Iran), interpreting and developing the mathematics of Euclid, predicting the existence of land west of the Atlantic Ocean as well as writing more than 80 infl uential books in Arabic and Persian about medicine, astronomy, geometry, geography, physics, law, history, philosophy, logic and ethics. Tusi is the author by „Risalyi-Tibb” (Medical Treatise) and „Javahirname” (Mineral Cures). Today he is highly revered and honored in Azerbaijan, and several education institutions

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are named aft er him, including the Tusi Pedagogical Institute in Baku. Descendants of Tusi still live in Baku, and cities of the Azerbaijan Republic. What few people know, however, is that during studying medicine and anatomy Tusi also developed a basic theory of evolution - more than 600 years before Charles Darwin. Th is theory appears in Tusi’s popular work „Akhlagi Nasiri” (Nasirean Ethics), a treatise on ethics in the Greek tradition built upon the 11th century „Tahdhib al-Akhlag of Ibn Miskawayh”, which Tusi draft ed in prison while being held by the Assassins, a religious terrorist group. He later revised it for his Mongol master Hulaku khan (the Mongolian occupation led to his release from prison). „Nasirean Ethics” was translated into English by G.M. Wickens and published by George Allen & Unwin in 1964 [6]. „Akhlagi Nasiri” is about the perfection of humans. Tusi divides this perfection into two parts - material and spiritual perfection. He uses the term „takamul”, which means „perfection” in Arabic. In modern Azeri, this same term now means „evolution”. Various evolutionary ideas existed before Tusi’s time, as shown in the folklore and religious beliefs of certain Oriental peoples, including the Babylonians, Egyptians and . However, these ideas were more mythological than scientifi c. Th ey were later adopted and expanded upon by ancient Greek scholars such as Empedocles (490-430 BC) and Aristotle (384-322 BC). Aristotle wrote: „Nature gradually, step by step, develops from inanimate substances to living creatures”. Muslim scholars such as Abu Reihan Biruni (972-1048), Ibn Bajja (1070- 1138) and Ibn Tufail (1110-1185) later tried to develop Aristotle’s evolutionary views. Tusi used their works as the basis for a chapter of „Akhlagi-Nasiri”, foreshadowing the theories of European scientists like Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck (1744-1829) and Charles Darwin (1809-1882). Tusi believed that a body of matter is able to change, but is not able to entirely disappear. He wrote: „A body of matter cannot disappear completely. It only changes its form, condition, composition, color and other properties and turns into a diff erent complex or elementary matter” [6]. His views were similar to those of the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus (530-470 BC). Five hundred years later, M. Lomonosov (1711-1765) and Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier (1743-1794) created the law of conservation of mass, setting down this very same idea. Tusi believed that the world once consisted of similar elements. He wrote: „Th ey were equal and similar to each other. None of them had an advantage over the others, because all of these particles consisted of common primary matter”. From the modern point of view, it is possible to identify Tusi’s primary particles as atoms or elementary particles. Tusi said that primary matter was the fi rst link of the evolutionary chain. Th e four elements of Nature (fi re, water, air and ground) were derived from this primary matter. In turn, minerals came from elements, plants from minerals, animals from plants, and humans from animals. Tusi said that humans are related to all living and in animate creatures of Nature: „Th e human has features that distinguish him from other creatures, but he has other features that unite him with the animal world, vegetable kingdom or even with the inanimate bodies”. As to the diff erences, Tusi wrote that humans are not only biological, but also social beings: „Before [the creation of humans], all diff erences between organisms

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were of the natural origin. Th e next step will be associated with spiritual perfection, will, observation and knowledge…All these facts prove that the human being is placed on the middle step of the evolutionary stairway. According to his inherent nature, the human is related to the lower beings, and only with the help of his will can he reach the higher development level” [6]. Tusi believed that God created the world, and that aft er creation occurred, the world developed on its own, while God supervises and guides this process. Th erefore, many scholars consider Tusi’s views as an allegory about the perfection of the human soul¬ not as naturalistic theory. Th e famous physician and historian Rashid al-Din (1247-1317) was born in Hamadan (Iran), and resided and worked in Tabriz, the capital of Southern Azerbaijan at the time. Son of a Jewish doctor he embraced Islam at the age of 30. Rashidaddin was a physician to Ilkhan Abaqa (1265-81), the Mongolian ruler of Azerbaijan, possibly the steward to the Ilkhan Geikhatu (1291-1295), and as fi nancial advisor to Abaqa’s grandson, Gazan (1295-1304). He was commissioned by the latter to write a history of the Mongols and their conquests, which he completed during the reign of Oljeitu Khan (1307-1316). Rasidaddin founded a suburb of Tabriz, the Ilkhanid capital of Azerbaijan, named aft er himself the Rab’ i-Rashidi, or „Suburb of Rashid”. Th e Rab’ i-Rashidi was enclosed in the great wall, 25.000 paces in circumference, which Ghazan Khan had erected to serve as a customs barrier. It lay on the slopes of Mt. Valiyan, was built at the personal expense of Rashid al-Din, and its endowment provided for Koran readers, theologians, a physician, a surgeon and 12 medical students. Th e suburb contained hospitals, , markets, a bath and a library - in which Rashid al-Din set up a system to produce as many copies of his works as possible in order to guard against oblivion. He even had some of his shorter works, on medicine and government, translated into Chinese. Anyone who wished was given access to his works and encouraged to copy them. In order to facilitate this, he set aside a fund to pay for the annual transcription of two complete manuscripts of his works, one in Arabic and one in Persian. During this period, a major medical, scientifi c and educational center named Dar al-Shifa (House of Healing) was established in Tabriz. It was a large complex of various hospitals, schools and scientifi c institutions, including observatory. Here, physicians from China, Egypt, India, Greece, Crete and other countries worked side by side with Azerbaijani scientists. Every year, 6.000 -7.000 students from various countries studied the medicine and other sciences at this university. However, it was not the only large hospital in our country. During the 13-14th centuries, there were 67 large hospitals and numerous apothecaries in the southern part of Azerbaijan. Among the scholars who lived and worked in this period we should name Yusif ibn Ismail Khoyi (also known as Ibn Kabir). For a long time, he was regarded as one of the most popular scientists and pharmacists of medieval Muslim World. Khoyi was born in the middle of the 13th century in the town of which belonged to the large

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economic and cultural centers of Azerbaijan. Aft er the youth spent in his home land he left for Baghdad where he became the court physician of khalifs. His major work entitled „Ma la Yasa’ al-Tabib Jahlahu” (Necessary Th ings for a Doctor So as Not to Increase His Ignorance) oft en referred to by its shortened title „Jam al-Baghdadi” (Baghdad Collection) was written in Arabic in 1311. Several thousand medicinal plants are described in this comprehensive pharmacopoeia. Descriptions of all medicines are listed in alphabetical order and include names of plants, animals and minerals in Arabic, Persian, Azeri, Turkish, Greek, Hindu and other languages. Many medieval authors held this book in high esteem. For example, Haji Zeynalabdin Attar (Ali Ansari) cites Ibn Kabir’s work in his „Ikhtiyarati-Badii” book, which was very popular in Medieval Azerbaijan. Muhammad Mumin (died in 1697 AD), the court physician of Suleiman Shah Safavi wrote: „To compile the book on pharmacology, I have used the most informative and reliable books, such as „Jami al-Baghdadi” by Ibn Kabir”. Yusif bin Ismail (Ibn Kabir) also used books written by his predecessors. In particular, he drew up information from the book entitled „Jam al-Adwiyya” (Collection of Medicines) by Ibn al-Beythar al-Malagi al-Andalusi (13th century), the famous Arabian physician from Andalusia. Th is book was valued as Islamic medicine’s largest book on pharmacology. As distinct from the book by Ibn al-Beythar, the book of Ibn Kabir is more compact and convenient for practical use. Th at is why it was so popular in the medieval Muslim East. Th e handwritten translation of „Jam’ al-Baghdadi” from Arabic into Persian is kept in the Institute of Manuscripts of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences. Th e famous physician Mahmud bin Ilyas (14th century) is the author of the work titled „Kitab al-Havi fi Ilm al-Madawi” (Th e Comprehensive Book about Medicine). Th is is a comprehensive, 1200-page book describing fundamental ideas about medicine, symptoms and causes of specifi c diseases, and treatments. Ilyas gained his experience while living in Tabriz (medieval capital of Azerbaijan) and Shiraz (South of Iran), and while traveling to various countries. He wrote „Elm al-Tibb” (About Science of Medicine), then he compiled the following books: „Mukhtasar al-Tibb” („Abbreviated Book on Medicine”), „Inayat fi al-Tibb” (Medical Service), „Ghiyasiyya” (Helpful [Book]). Azerbaijan has rich oil resources. During the middle Ages, not only herbs and animal, but also mineral oil was used with medical purposes. have known how to distill oil since the early centuries AD. Th irteenth - century geographer Ibn Bekran writes that oil was distilled in Baku in order to minimize its bad smell and make it more appropriate for medicinal applications. Marco Polo wrote in the 13th century that the excellent Baku oil was used for illuminating houses and treating skin diseases. Azerbaijani geographer Abd al-Rashid Bakuvi (14th-15th centuries) noted that up to 200 camel bales of oil were exported from Baku every day. Since a single „camel bale” is the equivalent of approximately 300 kg of oil, this would have meant a regular supply of 60.000 kg of oil per day. It was believed that oil has anti-infl ammatory and healing properties.

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According to Hamdullah Gazvini (14th century), workers used to fi ll the oil wells with water so that the oil would rise to the surface. Th en the oil was collected in leather bags made from the skins of Caspian seals. In 1669, scholar Muhammad Mu›min likewise noted that these types of leather bags were being used for the storage and transportation of refi ned medical oil. In the 14th century, Azerbaijan rid itself of the Mongolian yoke, and the country was ruled by the following Turkic Azeri dynasties: Karakoyunlu (1406-1467 AD), Akkoyunlu (1467-1502 AD) and Safavi (1502-1722). Th ese rulers contributed a great deal to the foundation of hospitals and development of medicine in Azerbaijan. Th us, Sultan Yakub Akkoyunlu (1478-1490 AD) built a large hospital nearby his „Yeddi Jannat” (Seven Heavens) palace in Tabriz. About 1.000 patients could be treated in this hospital at any given time. He also established an apothecary where patients could buy diff e rent medicines, including exotic plants brought from India and China. Among the valuable books written during this period, we should point out „Siraj al- Tibb” (Light of Medicine) by Hasan bin Riza Shirvani. Th is book was written in Shirvan and devoted to pharmacology. Th e author described a number of medicines with complex composition (murakkabat). Another famous physician, Murtuza Gulu Khan Shamlu, was the ruler (amir) of the city of Ardabil, which was a large cultural center and the former capital of Azerbaijan. He wrote the book titled „Khirga” (Clothes of Dervish) in 1678 AD which was devoted to sexology and gynecology. During the Middle Ages, there were free of charge charity medical service in Azerbaijan. In 1660s, the famous French traveler Jean Chardin visited our country. According to Chardin there were three very clean and accurate public hospitals in Tabriz. All patients were provided with free breakfast and dinner. Th erefore, people called them „clinics feeding the poor”. However, patients were not allowed to stay there for a long time. Other French traveler Jean Baptist Tavernier repeatedly visited Azerbaijan during 1632-1668. He writes that wealthy people here invited physicians to their homes, while poor people visited physicians themselves. Doctor examined and treated poor patients for free, but charged them for medicines. A famous book on pharmacology was written in the 18th century by Haji Suleyman bin Salman Qajar Iravani. Th is scholar was born in the town of Iravan (modern Yerevan), the center of Chukhur-Saad province of Safavid state. Th is town populated mainly by Azerbaijanis was known as a large center of culture and science. Two manuscripts of „Favaid al-Hikmat” (Benefi t of Wisdom) by Haji Suleyman Iravani are kept in the Institute of Manuscripts in Baku. In addition, handwritten copies of this book are treasured in various foreign countries, including Iran. „Favaid al-Hikmat” by Haji Suleyman Iravani is devoted to description of simple medicines (mufradat). Th e book contains two parts: the fi rst part describes simple medicines that are arranged in alphabetical order. Th e second part contains terminological glossary on pharmacology. „Favaid al-Hikmat” was well-known as a serious and informative book on pharmacy and medicine.

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66297297 RevistaRevista FFilosofieilosofie nr_2_Tipar.inddnr_2_Tipar.indd 247247 225.08.20155.08.2015 99:05:23:05:23 Gheorghe Bobână

Th e universal medical book named „Mualijat-i Munfarida” (Exceptional Treatment, 1775/6 AD) was written by Abu al- Hasan al-Maragi. Th is author was born in the town of Maraga in the Southern Azerbaijan. Th e observatory and scientifi c center founded in Maraga in the 13th century were well known throughout the whole Muslim East. During the 17-18th centuries, a number of medical books in Azeri Turkic were written. Among them are such books as the anonymous „Tibbname” (Book of Medicine, 17th AD), „Nuskhajat” (Recipes, 18th AD), „Tibbi-Jalinus” (Medicine of , 18th AD). Tibbname was copied and supplied with commentaries by the physician Muhammad Yusif Shirvani in 1711-1712 [7; 8]. In the publication, based on the analysis of historical sources, the authors note that the scientists who lived in the Middle Ages paid much attention to ethics and morality in medical and biological sciences. While researching the works of scholars and poets of the Middle Ages - Isa Ur-Rakhine, Nizami Ganjavi, Tusi N. and others, there were revealed the bioethical problems they touch upon - the relationships doctor - patient, ethical behavior towards patients, as well as religious aspects [9]. Bioethics and ethics are among the most modern branches of science, which are rapidly developing in the world, especially in democratic countries. Th ey respond to rapid development of new technologies, biotechnologies genetic engineering and medicine in recent years, mainly to protect human rights. Being a young sovereign country, Azerbaijan has chosen a democratic way of development and cannot stand aside from these processes; therefore special attention has been paid to the development of these sciences. Azerbaijan is one of the unique places where diff erent cultures and civilizations meet at the crossroad between East and West. It is known that pharmacy is one of the main areas of medicine. An important factor for the direction of pharmacy to the right course is studying of its history. Th e history of pharmacy of Azerbaijan originates at ancient and medieval times. During scientifi c researches it was revealed that in ancient times pharmacy raised as science of pharmacology for the purpose of treatment of sick people. Bases of ancient medicine, fi rst of all, were ethical values. From this point of view, study of Bioethics, which appeared in ancient times, is extremely actual and signifi cant.

REFERENCES 1. Von Grunebaum, G.E. Classical Islam: A History 600-1258, George Allen & Unwin Limited, 1970. 2. Blair, Betty. The Medical Manuscripts of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan International Magazine. No. 5.2, Summer 1997, p. 51-53. 3. Hasan ibn Reza Shirvani. Siraj al-Tibb. Manucript from the Collection of the Institute of Manuscripts of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. 4. Tarbiyyat, Muhammad Ali. Danishmandani-Azerbaijan (Scholars of Azerbaijan). Baku, Azernashr, 1987 (in Azeri). 5. Shirvani, Khagani. Tohfat al-Iraqeyn (Gift of Two Iraqs). Baku, Azernashr, 1982 (in Azeri). 6. Tusi, Hoja Nasiraddin. „Nasirean Ethics”. Translated into English by G.M. Wickens. Published by George Allen & Unwin, 1964. 7. Risalai-Tibb (Medical Treatise). Translation from Azeri, preface commentaries and glossary by Farid Alakbarli. Baku, Ornak Press, 1998. 32 P. 8. Risalayi-Tibb (Medical Treatise). In the book: Muhammad Yusif Shirvani. Tibbname (The Book of Medicine). Baku, Ishig, 1990, з. 157-158 (in Azeri). 9. www.islam.az/ (Accessed 13.04.2015).

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66297297 RevistaRevista FFilosofieilosofie nr_2_Tipar.inddnr_2_Tipar.indd 248248 225.08.20155.08.2015 99:05:23:05:23