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Review
. 2024 Jul 15;16(7):e64601.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.64601. eCollection 2024 Jul.

Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariya Al-Razi (Rhazes) (865-925): The Founder of the First Psychiatric Ward

Jaafar O Ahmed  1   2 , Karwan K Kakamad  1 , Zana B Najmadden  3 , Sarhang I Saeed  4
Affiliations
Review

Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariya Al-Razi (Rhazes) (865-925): The Founder of the First Psychiatric Ward

Jaafar O Ahmed et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariya Al-Razi, also known as Rhazes, was a 10th-century Persian polymath who made significant contributions to medicine, philosophy, chemistry, and psychiatry. He is credited with founding the first psychiatric ward in Baghdad, highlighting the medical treatment of mental illnesses. His empirical and innovative approaches to clinical observation and experimentation laid the basis for modern evidence-based medicine. Al-Razi's comprehensive works, such as "The Comprehensive Book," profoundly influenced both Islamic and European medical practices, securing his legacy as a pivotal figure in medical history. Therefore, the primary objective of this narrative review is to revisit the remarkable contributions of Al-Razi in the field of psychiatry, specifically highlighting his role as the founder of the first psychiatric ward.

Keywords: al-razi; historical vignette; medieval ages; psychiatric hospital; psychotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Portrait of Al-Razi (Rhazes) (AD 865-925)
Reproduced with permission from Wellcome Collection [19]
Figure 2
Figure 2. A page from The Comprehensive Book (Arabic edition)
Translation of the text: "When the dullness (thiqal) and the pain in the head and neck continue for three and four and five days or more, and the vision shuns light, and watering of the eyes is abundant, yawning and stretching are great, insomnia is severe, and extreme exhaustion occurs, then the patient after that will progress to meningitis (sirsâm) … If the dullness in the head is greater than the pain, and there is no insomnia, but rather sleep, then the fever will abate, but the throbbing will be immense but not frequent and he will progress into a stupor (lîthûrghas). So when you see these symptoms, then proceed with bloodletting. For I once saved one group [of patients] by it, while I intentionally neglected [to bleed] another group. By doing that, I wished to reach a conclusion (ra'y). And so all of these [latter] contracted meningitis." Reproduced with permission from The James Lind Library [21]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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