Selçuklular’da Sağlık, Sağlık Kurumları ve Tıp Eğitimi

Abstract

In addition to their military and political success, the Seljuks also achieved great accomplishments in the medical field by giving great importance to medical education and treatment of diseases. From the very foundation of the Seljuk empire, the Sultans invested heavily in medicine. Medical services in the Seljuk Empire consisted of the following: bîmâristans, dârü’ş-şifâs and caravanserais. In the Great Seljukian state, medical education was carried out in facilities such as bâmâristan and dârü’ş-şifâ rather than in madrasahs. The Seljuks placed great importance on health, both in regard to the principles of social state understanding and the risk of possible epidemics caused by being at the intersection of many geographies. State of art treatment methods were applied against diseases such as leprosy, boils, smallpox, strokes, plague, and tuberculosis. There was an abundance of mobile hospitals, caravanserai hospitals, and palace hospitals in the Seljuk region. Mobile hospitals were carried on camels and accompanied the armies that went on campaigns. Throughout the Seljuk empire, free health services were provided to passengers in caravansaries for a certain period. In addition, the Sultans had highly trained personal doctors. As well as providing health care for monarchs and statesmen, wealthy Seljuks also built dârü’ş-şifâs for the public. Nishapur, Isfahan, Baghdad, Aleppo, Amasya, Çankırı, Konya, Kayseri, Malatya, and Erzurum hosted important health centers in the Seljuk times. Evidence of some of the health institutions in these places has survived until today with their inscriptions. In the light of these inscriptions, it is seen that the Seljuk State took every precaution regarding health and did not avoid the expense. Besides, many famous doctors who were trained in the Seljuk period guided the Ottoman civilization over the years through scientific studies, and their works have been taught in Europe for years. In this paper, the important steps which were taken by the Seljuks in the field of health, the facilities they established, and the important medical professionals who left their mark on the period are discussed.