The Arabic materia medica became so rich and new drugs and...

The Arabic materia medica became so rich and new drugs and compounds were introduced because the Muslims had contact with almost all the known world at that time, either through control or trade. Their ships sailed to China and the Philippines, and their convoys made trades with black Africa, Europe and Asia. Chemistry became an advanced science, and there were means and need for a specialization called pharmacy.

Thus, the main Arabian hospitals were models for medieval hospitals built later in Europe. They were rather medical schools to which those seeking advanced medical knowledge, from the East or West, attended. The Reasons for the High Standard of Islamic Hospitals In the Islamic Empire, the hospitals attained a golden era unsurpassed in previous history.

The reasons behind such a high standard include: Being part of a civilization as a whole:The people were prosperous; thus, they were capable of taking care of their health and of seeking the best available treatment. Also, lslam stresses the necessity of seeking treatment of every disease; the Prophet says "For every disease, God created a cure." The required sciences for good medical care were at a high standard e.g.

the Arabs were advanced in chemistry, mathematics, administration, pharmacy, medicine, etc. They gave the world the system of numbering which have replaced the cumbersome Roman numerals. The world owes to them the knowledge of the following chemical reactions, namely sublimation, precipitation, filtration, distillation, etc. The great. Arab chemist Jabir Ibn- Hayan discovered sulphuric and nitric acids.

According to Webster Dictionary, the words sugar, alcohol, alkali, syrup, coffee, cotton, all are Arabic words. Fielding H. Garrison, the author of the well-known work on the "History of Medicine" said: "...The Saracens themselves were the originators not only of algebra, chemistry, and geology, but of many of the so- called improvements or refinements of civilization, such as street lamps, window-panes, firework, stringed instruments, cultivated fruits, perfumes, spices, etc...

" High prestige of physicians: The physicians in this era earned a high prestige. Although anyone, irrespective of his social status, can study medicine, yet the route was long and tedious. He had to finish Islamic studies, philosophy, astronomy, art, chemistry, etc. before being accepted as a medical student. Therefore, the physician was a cultured person who had wisdom and knowledge.