The Collection Of The Virtues Of The Old Medicine, Or The Virtues Of A Cross Between Medicine And History Approach

Towards the end of the 20th Century in Mauritania, Mohammed Beiba Ould Maqari ("Al-Maqari") wrote a treatise of Greek-Arab medicine, combining traditional theories dating back to Hippocrates, Galen and Avicenna with comments based on contemporary practice in the Western Sahara. The result is a document of the present-day practice and teaching of the written therapeutic tradition of the Sahara/West Africa, which may be compared to so-called "Unani medicine" in its eastern extension in Pakistan and India. Far from being a dogmatic statement, the treatise stresses the importance of practical experience whilst engaging a constant dialogue with various authors throughout history. This article invites readers to join in an open reflection, confronting an historical medical tradition with their own experiences. In this spirit, the Ould-Maqari clinic, near Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, was subjected to a rapid assessment of safety and effectiveness which is also presented here. The result was joint consultations with Greek-Arab and modern practitioners which endeavor to offer patients the best possible care taken from both medical systems.