The Armenian medical institutions and the famous Armenian physicians are being mentioned in the Armenian and foreign sources beginning from the 5th century.
Medicine has especially flourished in Armenia in the 11th-15th centuries, when the famous physicians Mekhitar Heratsi (12th century) , Abusaid (12th century), Grigoris (12th-13th centuries), Faradj (13th century), Amirdovlat Amassiatsi (15th century) lived. These physicians had extensive knowledge and generalizing their experience, at the same time making use of the achievements of Greek and Arab medicine, they created their own special works, which were copied and used in practical medicine for centuries afterwards.
Beginning from the 12th century autopsy was permitted in Armenia for educational purposes. In Europe it was permitted only in the 16th century. In many regions of Armenia many medical instruments have been preserved and found, that testify in favour of instrumental operations. In the 12th-14th centuries Caesarian section, ablation of inner tumours, operative treatment of various female diseases were practiced in Armenia. During the operations Dipsacus was used for general and local anaesthesia. Zedoar, Melilotus officinalis and other narcotic drugs were used to anaesthetize births. Silk threads were used to sew the wounds after the operations.
The medieval Armenian medicine, dealing with theoretical and practical problems has been in the progressive positions of the world medicine of the time. Mekhitar Heratsi (12th century ) in his work Consolation of Fevers introduces the theory of mould as a factor of infections and allergic diseases. In his opinion it is the mould in the blood and other body liquids which brings about fevers. According to him, the reasons of diseases are not always in the organisms of the patients, but they can penetrate into the organism from the outer world. Heratsi has written works about anatomy, biology, general pathology, pharmacology, ophthalmology and curative properties of stones.
Of a unique value in the history of the Armenian medicine is manuscript number 415, written by Grigoris and copied in 1465-1473. The work consists of two main parts - pharmacology and general medical study. Besides pathology he has studied many problems connected with pathologic physiology, anatomy, prophylaxis and hospital treatment. Of great importance are the ideas of the author about the role of brain. 'Brain is the king of the organism', he writes. The nervous system and the brain are the ruling organs of the body. Brain is the 'sense of the senses'. The state of the nervous system is the reason of disability of the upper and lower extremities. Disability originates in liquids gathered in the ventricles of the brain and other places. Amirdovlat Amassiatsi (1496) is the pride of the Armenian medicine of the 15th century. Knowing Greek, Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Latin, he has studied Greek, Roman, Persian and Arabic medicines. In his work The usefulness of Medicine he presents the structure of a human being and more than two hundred different diseases, mentioning the means of their treatment. In his Useless for Ignorants he has summerized the experience of the medieval Armenian and foreign physicians, especially in the field of pharmacology. Akhrapatin, written by the author in 1459, is a pharmacopoeia, based on a work of the famous Jewish philosopher, theologian and physician Maimonides (Moisseus Ben Maimon, 1135-1204), which has not been preserved. The number of the prescriptions given by Maimon is increased by 2600 to 3700 by Amirdovlat.
One of the well - known successors of Amirdovlat is Asar Sebastatsi (17th century). His Of the art of Medicine consists of two parts - pathology and pharmacology.
Poghos is also a physician of the 17th century. He deals with the theory of medicine, anatomy, pathology and pharmacology. There are also many anonymous books on medicine, pharmacopoeia, medical dictionaries, etc., in the collection of the Matenadaran.
Read Stella VARDANIAN's article on ARMENIAN MEDIEVAL MEDICINE
Beginning from the 12th century autopsy was permitted in Armenia for educational purposes. In Europe it was permitted only in the 16th century. In many regions of Armenia many medical instruments have been preserved and found, that testify in favour of instrumental operations. In the 12th-14th centuries Caesarian section, ablation of inner tumours, operative treatment of various female diseases were practiced in Armenia. During the operations Dipsacus was used for general and local anaesthesia. Zedoar, Melilotus officinalis and other narcotic drugs were used to anaesthetize births. Silk threads were used to sew the wounds after the operations.
The medieval Armenian medicine, dealing with theoretical and practical problems has been in the progressive positions of the world medicine of the time. Mekhitar Heratsi (12th century ) in his work Consolation of Fevers introduces the theory of mould as a factor of infections and allergic diseases. In his opinion it is the mould in the blood and other body liquids which brings about fevers. According to him, the reasons of diseases are not always in the organisms of the patients, but they can penetrate into the organism from the outer world. Heratsi has written works about anatomy, biology, general pathology, pharmacology, ophthalmology and curative properties of stones.
Of a unique value in the history of the Armenian medicine is manuscript number 415, written by Grigoris and copied in 1465-1473. The work consists of two main parts - pharmacology and general medical study. Besides pathology he has studied many problems connected with pathologic physiology, anatomy, prophylaxis and hospital treatment. Of great importance are the ideas of the author about the role of brain. 'Brain is the king of the organism', he writes. The nervous system and the brain are the ruling organs of the body. Brain is the 'sense of the senses'. The state of the nervous system is the reason of disability of the upper and lower extremities. Disability originates in liquids gathered in the ventricles of the brain and other places. Amirdovlat Amassiatsi (1496) is the pride of the Armenian medicine of the 15th century. Knowing Greek, Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Latin, he has studied Greek, Roman, Persian and Arabic medicines. In his work The usefulness of Medicine he presents the structure of a human being and more than two hundred different diseases, mentioning the means of their treatment. In his Useless for Ignorants he has summerized the experience of the medieval Armenian and foreign physicians, especially in the field of pharmacology. Akhrapatin, written by the author in 1459, is a pharmacopoeia, based on a work of the famous Jewish philosopher, theologian and physician Maimonides (Moisseus Ben Maimon, 1135-1204), which has not been preserved. The number of the prescriptions given by Maimon is increased by 2600 to 3700 by Amirdovlat.
One of the well - known successors of Amirdovlat is Asar Sebastatsi (17th century). His Of the art of Medicine consists of two parts - pathology and pharmacology.
Poghos is also a physician of the 17th century. He deals with the theory of medicine, anatomy, pathology and pharmacology. There are also many anonymous books on medicine, pharmacopoeia, medical dictionaries, etc., in the collection of the Matenadaran.
Read Stella VARDANIAN's article on ARMENIAN MEDIEVAL MEDICINE
