Eminent Greco-Arab legends and their concepts of preventive and social medicine

Abstract

In the present paper, emphasis is given on the historical perspective of contribution of Greco-Arab legends within the genesis and understanding of preventive aspect of drugs.Henry Seigerist, the medical historian has stated that each culture had developed a system of medications.Unani (Greek) system of medications is connected to great Greek civilization.Hygiea was worshipped as goddess of health and Panacea as goddess of medicine.Thus, the dichotomy between curative and medicine begins early and remains today.Asclepius, the father of Hygiea and Panacea remains cherished in medical circles.Hippocrates (Buqrat), also called "father of medicine" was first who contributed a lot in the field of preventive and social medicine and regarded as true epidemiologist.Later on, many eminent Arab physicians, for example, Jalinoos (Galen), Zakariya Razi (Rhazes) and Ibne Sina's (Avicenna), they all propounded and anticipated independently in the field of unani preventive and social medicine both in theory and practical.