Abstract
This manuscript is developed from the findings of the Qatar Unified Imaging Project (QUIP), a research project documenting the cultural heritage of Qatar and the bordering Gulf regions through primary sources. Through the critical evaluation of published works and primary sources we explore the culture of traditional medicine in the Arab world beginning with historical texts of the 11th century to the most current study of Qatar in the 21st century. Traditions contain and reflect the cultural beliefs of the people who created and preserved what they believed most valuable. Medical heritage figures prominently into the historical documentation of Qatar in the 20th century, and reflects the historical contributions of the Arabs to the development of chemistry and pharmacology, as well as the transnational influences that have affected Qatar's health care systems over time. Western-based medicine in the Gulf was introduced by Christian missionaries. These “modern” practices were grounded in a very different belief system, one foreign to the established healing culture. Despite ongoing developments in modern medicine many traditional practices maintain their popularity today. There is a viable place for tradition and heritage in healing. Medical anthropology helps us to identify cultural representations within traditional treatment practices that positively inform evolving healthcare procedures. We hypothesize that health care professionals can serve their clients' needs more effectively through the integration of traditional techniques into patient care.
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