CHAPTER III. 



AEAB PHYSICIANS. 



The distitrbed state of Europe, caused hy the incursions 

 of barbarous invaders, entirely put a stop to the progress of 

 Greek and Koman learning, and Science took up its abode 

 in more settled lands. The period of the history of Science 

 on which we are entering, is entirel}^ occupied for several 

 centuries by those celebrated philosophers generally known 

 as *' Arab Phj^sicians," because they wrote in Arabic, though 

 under this head are classed the writers of different oriental 

 countries, as India, Persia, Mesopotamia, SjTia, Arabia, 

 Egypt, Morocco, and latterly their learning was conveyed by 

 the Moors into Spain. They included philosoj)hers of the 

 school of Aristotle, Jews, Christians, and Mohammedans, and 

 their known writers may be counted by hundreds. Most of 

 them studied medicine, though their writings on poetr}^ 

 religion, mathematics, astronomy, astrology, and chemistry, 

 are not less remarkable. They extended the use of mineral 

 remedies into medicine, and made man}^ additions to the 

 Materia Medica, among which are to be especially noticed 

 several aromatics and mild purgatives, as senna and 

 rhubarb, in place of the more drastic medicines which were, 

 before them, the only ones used. The following substances 

 have been mentioned as additions to medicine made by the 

 Arabs : — " Berberries, camphire, cloves, wallflower. Cassia 

 fistula, galangals, hyssop, kermes, lavender, mace, manna. 



