Phlebotomy in Islamic Medicine

In Islamic medicine “phlebotomy” was considered as a way to prevent and treat certain diseases and one of the old applications that had been accepted by most of Islamic physicians. During the translation movement, Islamic scholars translated some books into Arabic with content of phlebotomy and later wrote and published many books about that. Phlebotomy as a term, in addition to medical usage has also found in Persian and Arabic poetry such as poems, proverbs and metonymies. Phlebotomy was performed on all people either rich or poor; so as the kings and caliphs appropriated some special days in a year for that. This article illustrate the meanings and practices of phlebotomy, its advantages and disadvantages, caring during and after phlebotomy, appropriate places and time, the instrument used, the law and orders for bleeders based on Islamic jurisprudence and also historically consider the subject.