The Great Hospitals of Al-Mansur

The glory of Arabic medicine was its hospitals, founded and endowed by rulers and the nobility who inspired by Islamic teaching.

In 766, al-Mansur summoned Jurjis b. Bakhtishu to become court of physician in his newly built capital, Baghdad.

Within the availability of trained physicians, two hospitals were then founded.

One rather short lived while the other, which has been more significant, was founded by the illustrious caliph Harun Ar-Rashid as a state hospital.

It as headed by Jibril, a grandson of Jurjis, to supervise its establishment.

The best and largest of the Arabian hospitals were at Damascus (1160) and at Cairo (1276).

In 1284, Caliph Al –Mansur Qalawun built Al-Mansur Hospital. The Great Hospital of Al-Mansur at Cairo in 1284 was the largest hospitals ever built with beautifully decorated.

Condition were luxurious. It employed male and female nurses. It was open to all the sick, rich as well as poor; it contained wards for both men and women.

The hospital had also different wards for different diseases e.g. for surgery, fevers and eye disease. It also equipped with outpatients clinics.

The hospital had its pharmacy, library, and lecture halls. Medical teachings were probably given at Bagdad, Damascus and Cairo. The principle courses were clinical medicine, pharmacology and therapeutics. Anatomy and surgery were neglected, chemistry was given social important.
 The Great Hospitals of Al-Mansur